Voices from the Chorus
by butterfly collective
Summary: Some residents in the town of PC are chafing to leave it.
1. Chapter 1

Alexis blinked her eyes. She looked down at her vodka on the rocks. An alcoholic beverage suited to both her heritage and her mood.

Actually she wanted to forgo the rocks and drink it straight down like a truly exiled Russian but she had to stay sober enough to drive back to her new house, built on the ashes of her old one. Completely refurnished and restocked with everything she needed.

And nothing that she didn't…including a replica of that orange rug. She chose a Native American style rug to contrast with the new hardwood floor.

"Alexis…"

She looked up and saw Coleman wiping down the bar. It hadn't been a busy night. No one had tried to hit on her or buy her a drink. No bar fights, no pool cues broken over heads, no corny music playing on the jukebox.

An unusually slow night in PC.

Reaching for her glass, she gulped the rest of the vodka down, the ice melding into the liquor bringing both chill and warmth to her throat. The numbness which hit the core of her chest, the sensations of overly taut muscles relaxing.

"I'll have another…."

Coleman knit his brows.

"Really…first you go for the Vodka when you usually drink chardonnay that Mac keeps hidden in the cellar just for you…"

She wagged her finger.

"No not true…I also hit the Scotch and if I was really feeling like my world fell apart I'd be chugging the vodka out of the bottle."

He frowned, while he refreshed her drink.

"Your world falling apart. You keep your shit straight and in its proper place better than any other lady I know."

Alexis grimaced.

"Do you have to call me a lady? It sounds so…"

He leaned against the counter towards her.

"Sounds like what?"

She sighed, taking another swig of her drink.

"Like…like I'm nothing…like that. I'm a murderess for Christ sake…oh I probably shouldn't have said that but…you get my meaning?"

He eyed her carefully and she knew something she'd not meant to say had slipped enough to cause wariness to show on his face.

"Alexis…what's going on here? Your legal skills are slipping because you confessed to murder. I think you're okay though because the confidentiality between a bar tender and his customer is as sacred as that in the confessional."

She shook her head slightly.

"Coleman there's a few things wrong with that analogy. Legally speaking…"

He looked crestfallen then burst waggled his eyes.

"I guess I'll have to marry you then. I still got the Grateful Dead tee-shirt somewhere and enough gas on the motorcycle to get us halfway to Vegas…."

Alexis sighed wistfully.

"Almost sounds tempting. I would love to get away for a while. Get in a car and keep on driving until I reached an ocean…get on a boat and sail to Greece take a train or an oxen wagon over the mountains back to Russia where we came from…"

Coleman eyed the half empty Vodka glass and then back at her face. "

"I'll take your word on it. Now on this marriage thing, I'm partly serious…."

She chuckled despite herself.

"You know I only marry for business, never for love. Besides I'm focusing on my career right now."

He arched his eyes.

"Now I know there's a story behind that."

She picked up her glass again.

"Pour your poison of the week and then we'll talk."

He shook his head.

"Bartender can't sample the merchandise. House rule."

Her mouth almost curved into a smile.

"I won't tell if you don't tell…now pour a glass…"

He hesitated then shrugged.

"Oh what the hell? Besides I know where the boss keeps his best stash."

She watched him walk away in his khaki pants and plaid shirt. Coleman had his own rules for mixing and matching his outfits but she'd grown used to it. She shifted on her barstool relieved that she'd opted for her black denim jeans and matching woolen sweater. At least the winter chill hadn't followed her in the bar. Coleman returned with an exotic looking bottle with Cyrillic writing on it.

"What is that?"

Coleman shrugged.

"Have no idea? Can't read Cyrillic. Just hope that it's not going to kill me going down."

He poured a glass and she watched him carefully as he sipped slowly then slugged it down. Slapping his glass on the counter with a satisfied sigh. She tilted her face.

"So how did it…go down?"

He grinned.

"Smooth as the ice on Spoon Lake…just before the sun rises."

She pursed her lips and then rested her chin on her hand, watching him pour himself another glass.

He put the glass back down, wiped his mouth and looked back at her.

"So back to what we were talking about," he said, "So why do want to cut out of PC? Isn't this town wild enough for you?"

She bit her lip, whether to stifle a giggle or a sob she couldn't guess. She had been holding it all together for so long, with no one to talk to or even to notice that she had been thinking anything at all. It's not like anyone ever asked how she was feeling about anything and if they had…what would she answer.

She didn't honestly know. Right now she didn't care. Coleman tried again.

"Alexis…seriously you'd leave us. You'd leave me after you worked so tirelessly to free me from that hell hole they put me in at Pentonville. I mean I haven't really had a chance to thank you properly yet."

She smiled fingering the rim of her glass.

"Your check cleared. That's thanks enough. It'll help buy an oak desk I've been eying for my new office."

Coleman smirked.

"Just a desk… So Alexis why do you feel like splitting? I mean you don't usually run away from anything…well except at one of your weddings."

She sighed.

"Ned still hasn't forgiven me for that and it's been over 10 years. Get over it already. Just this morning…I ran into him with Olivia at the MC and he brought it up and chided me for being petrified of becoming a member of his family. The thought…I'm a Cassadine, the Qs are what our ancestors would round up, slice up and serve as an appetizer with the caviar."

He grinned again.

"I love it when you talk culinary…especially since you can't cook."

She shrugged, and felt herself tensing again so she reached for her Vodka.

"Good one…you're witty tonight…and cute…"

He grew serious.

"What's going on here Alexis? Why are you hanging out here cheering me up with your presence instead of home with your family?"

She shrugged.

"My family…You do know Molly hasn't spoken to me in three months since she moved in with her father. You know the one parent who truly loves and understands her. I've barely even seen her."

Sadness filled her heart where it'd felt empty without it. She brushed a tendril of hair off her face.

"What about Sam?"

Alexis smiled slightly.

"She's working a large caseload, trying to get over losing Jason, all over again. Now that his killer is locked up preparing to be shipped off to Super Max in Colorado. It doesn't help that…her father was working for or with him."

"You mean Julian Jerome."

Alexis made a face.

"Who else? I don't want to talk about him...or her. I want to talk about something else…"

Coleman watched as she slid the glass towards him for a refill. He stopped it.

"No Alexis…I'm cutting you off and I'm getting you something to eat. Some of Mac's famous tapas. Just need to heat them up…"

She shook her head.

"I'm not hungry, but I am thirsty."

He sighed.

"What's going on here? You dumped that mobster and it's probably for the best. Sounds like trouble and anyone who would drop you…for a…"

"Younger model? She's pretty too…and apparently she was fertile…."

"Alexis…if the guy was too drunk or too stupid to slap on a glove…well he's going to pay the piper for at least 18 years."

She winced.

"Did I say she was younger and pretty? She cooks really, really well. She cleans, I'm sure she does the laundry too."

She raised an index finger in the air.

"I can't do any of that and it's my fault. Hell everything's my fault in this town. Let's see…"

She waggled the fingers on one hand and started touching them with an index finger doing a countdown.

"Ric blames me for thinking with my…parts and subjecting to a hellish existence in witness protection, Molly blames me for not siding with her daddy not so dearest…Sometimes I'm tempted to tell her a little bit more about her daddy…but I can't hurt her even though she's shunned me….Sam isn't happy with anyone right now because of Faison…Lucy called me crazy…Olivia I can't remember what she's blaming me for… but she shrieked at me anyway….Ned…for not being perfect…like a Stepford wife 10 years ago….Sonny…Liz…this list is getting really really long."

Coleman smiled.

"You can't be responsible for all of that. I mean people do their own shit, they gotta own it. Take your mobster boyfriend. He almost got you killed when his stunt got your house blown up. You give him some shade for lying…he goes off on some pity party, gets trashed and knocks up some low class mobster apologist."

Alexis looked down at her glass.

"Olivia's…nice. She's what you'd call…a ride and die chick? She certainly was with Sonny. She didn't turn on him until he cheated on her. Maybe that's what he's wanted all along. I wouldn't accept his lifestyle and his half-truths…and you know what they say? Be careful what you wish for sure…when he finally did tell me the truth."

"The truth hurts doesn't it?"

She blew air out of her mouth.

"Well, what can I say? He framed Ric who's the scum of the earth but still Molly's father and he worked with Jerry Jacks who poisoned my daughters and the rest of the town during that water toxin scheme. Then we have Helena…that link hasn't been proven yet but she's tight with both Faison and Jerry so…did I tell you she threatened my daughters in front of him? Then there's…who's the other one…it's like a whole legion of villains has descended on PC in the past few months."

Coleman sipped his drink listening. His thick brows furrowed.

"Okay you got rid of him. If he wants to knock up some bimbo that's on him. Look Alexis, you're a smart, sexy, beautiful woman. Yeah you're complicated and a bit darker than most women out there but that just makes you more…intriguing."

She shook her head.

"No man in my life has ever been able to handle that part of me. I'm fine as long as I do what they want whether it's to be the perfect Q spouse or the ride and die chick of a mobster…Olivia she can give Julian what I can't…she'll never question his choices….he'll never resent her like he does me because I wouldn't take him back."

"You are…complicated but look where you came from. A murderous bunch of cutthroat exiled members of some Russian family. They killed your mother…hid you in the house…how were you ever going to be normal in that kind of place? Survival comes first then luxuries like feelings…desires and love."

She considered thinking that the mysterious liquor Coleman was drinking had branded him with some kind of special wisdom. That and she'd spilled most of her life story when she'd been trading shots with him back when the dive had been called Jakes. Even the parts of it which read like a fractured fairy tale.

"I didn't even remember I had a sister…and when Jax, you know my favorite ex-husband brought her to me, I…..but I lost her…"

The reality of that hit her again, and she stopped talking while Coleman drunk from his own glass.

"I don't want to lose my children. Kristina is off living her own life trying to forget she's a mobster's daughter…Molly hates me and wants to drop my last name from her own legally and her father's drafting up the papers…and Sam…"

"It's going to be okay Alexis…you're the strongest woman I ever met."

She sighed, her shoulders drooping.

"I don't feel that way right now…but thanks for trying to cheer me up."

He reached out to stroke her face gently.

"I mean it Alexis…you got cut a raw deal being surrounded by a bunch of ingrates who are so self-centered they can't even remember how hard you fought to keep them alive…hell weren't you cut nearly in half with a knife and sown back together with fishing line while having Molly?"

She knit her brow suddenly remembering that day in the tunnel after the train crash. Ric suddenly forgot he'd been throwing his mistress in her face and how she wasn't cold and frigid in the sack like his wife…at least his mistress he borrowed from Sonny's collection had been slowly dying at the time…was it mean to say that?

"Yeah well Ric rewarded me for taking his miserable ass back by…I'm not going to go there that's water under the bridge…."

He touched his hand and she felt some degree of calmness spread through her.

"Alexis…Ric is a lowlife sociopath whose obsession with his half-brother borders on psychosis…it has nothing to do with you. He's insisting he's reformed when in reality selective memory of some prominent architects on this canvas have simply white washed him."

She sighed.

"I feel like I can't even tell anyone or even remember what he did to me and my children. It's all about him being the victim and I being the evil woman who thought with her vay-jay and wasn't loyal enough to him…even after all he did to me…why am I talking so much and why are you listening to me?"

He paused and she felt genuinely puzzled. Her concerns, her needs and wants had become bad words to her most of her life.

"Because you're more interesting than most people and in this town that's saying a lot…"

She smiled at him for that.

"That's nice of you to say…now where are those tapas?"

Moly sat on the sofa feeling sorry for herself. Next to her was a bucket of chocolate mint ice cream just starting to melt, weakening the carton. The spoon started to sink into what would soon be a soppy mess of gooey artificial ingredients and tons of sugar.

She'd just been staring at the TV watching Pine Valley Housewives while waiting for Carson, coolest girl in high school to text her back. She wanted to jet from the suite of the MC where she'd been living with her father since he'd returned from the dead.

Actually he'd not been dead just locked up in the bowels of something called the witness protection program and the way her daddy explained it, it sounded hideously awful bordering on the inhuman treatment and torture she read about it in her monthly emails from Amnesty International.

She fumed, also waiting for her daddy to return home from his date with Liz. Since his return to town, she'd spent barely any time with her father and he with her…but that wasn't his fault…it was all her mother's fault. That evil unreasonable harpy who had kept a daughter apart from her loving father, with only a letter to read over and over again while the pages became worn from incessant folding and unfolding the once crisp paper. Not to mention the ink starting to blur from the tears that had fallen from her face onto the page.

She searched for her daddy's watch that had been part of his effects sealed up in an envelope and given to her after her father died…oh wait when he became undead he'd retrieved the watch with an apologetic grin so he could give it to Liz.

Her future step monster, if her daddy had his way. Damn her mother, because that had to be her fault as well. Daddy would be more attentive to her if it wasn't for her mother.

Then she'd stumbled upon some legal papers…adoption papers with Cameron Webber's name on them.

She felt like eating 10 cartons of ice cream but was left with one with melted ice cream and congealing chocolate chips in it.

Damn that mother of hers. But her daddy would fix it and make it all better…as soon as he was back from his date with Liz.

Suddenly a knock at the door rudely interrupted her reverie. She pushed the ice cream carton aside and walked up the door.

She looked through the peephole but couldn't see anything but what looked like a body in a dark trench coat.

"Who is it?"

A pause and then a female's voice, a bit raspy responded in return.

"It's a member of your family…who came a long way to visit…"

Molly pursed her lips. Who might that be? It sounded like an older woman. She reached her hand to open the door…

Carlos Rivera drove his car into the parking lot of the Floating Rib. He had spent the last hour with his boss Julian and just had to get away. The guy was such a pain in the….well nothing a few shots of tequila and a game of pool wouldn't cure.

Maybe he could score some money if he could find an easy mark. He fancied himself quite the pool shark.

Sabrina had gone wacko again and was shipped in a strait jacket to Fern Cliff. He still visited her but she stared vacantly at him while absently and methodically stroking a stuffed pumpkin on her lap.

Love had eluded him. Once he found his princess again, she was supposed to fall back into his arms. Instead she'd been engaged to some gringo doctor with a dead wife who turned out not to be so dead. The dead wife returned, Sabrina fell apart, got pregnant, fell apart, baby died, fell apart and…and…she'd been too fragile for the harsh realities off of the family farm back in Puerto Rico.

He'd cooled his heels in jail, feeling abandoned after Ava put him there but had been released and gone back to work for Julian. Julian spent most of his time battling with some guy named Ned over something he didn't talk much about but it had to do with Sonny's washed up moll of all people.

Carlos didn't interfere in his boss' domestic life. Anyway he had ultimately been freed from his hell hole at Pentonville by Alexis who sprung him after representing him at Michael's request.

Not Michael Corinthos but Michael Quartermaine. Carlos knew there had to be a story there that had happened while he languished in his cell but he hadn't heard it yet.

He had wanted to thank Alexis by taking her out to dinner but she begged off, saying she'd done it for Michael not for him and certainly not his boss. Carlos knew there must be a story there as well as obviously he'd missed a lot of action while locked up.

Though he knew that Sonny had been sent to Pentonville wearing orange and glaring up at every other inmate on the cell block. Carly his favorite moll visited him on a daily basis and he'd been spending a lot of time with Johnny Z.

Carlos had watched both from a discreet distance.

Anyway that was in the past and he was a free man again working for a surly mobster boss and trying to believe in true love again. But his heart had been scorched in the past year so the forecast looked doubtful.

He shook his head as he got out of his Firebird and headed to the Floating Rib looking for those shots and a pool partner.


	2. Chapter 2

Coleman brought the reheated tapas on a plate to the bar. Alexis eyed them with keen interest as they approached. The smell wafting from where they lay underneath a loosely place paper towel made her stomach rumble.

She hadn't eaten much since this morning. After burning toast and spilling her coffee, she gave up, picking up her briefcase and coat and headed out the door to her office. She'd been in court all day arguing for continuances and getting on the judge's nerves. Lunch had been a hardboiled egg and an apple bought off of a food cart and…it'd all gone downhill from there.

Coleman lifted the paper towel off of the tapas and Alexis' eyes widened as the full aroma of the food hit her. They looked absolutely delicious.

"Made especially for you…dig in…"

She did just that reaching for one of them, placing them on a napkin that Coleman handed to her.

Potatoes and chili peppers, a hint of tomato. She'd first sampled the dish when she'd been attended a language program at a university in Salamanca, the _camarero_ has explained that they were popular in Spain, mixing and matching them over lively conversations until they were gone.

Pity that for all its sophistication PC had yet to open a Tapa Bar. She'd suggested it to Mac that he add it to his cuisine for his customers. He said he'd give it a shot and the appetizer had become quite popular especially when sold half price on Tapa Tuesdays.

Grateful, he'd given her a piece of the action.

Mac was a genius in the kitchen. She had learned that during the two year period when they were kind of dating…or talking about dating over hundreds of cups of both good and bad coffee while discussing their families.

Both of them were single parents though Mac had turned out to be a much better parent than she could ever be. Mac's step daughter Felicia loved him and spent time with him when she was trying to not be seen with Nathan.

Mac was also a really nice guy and that was a problem for her. Fortunately Felicia had whisked back into his life and the two got married over a year ago, so she'd never been able to damage him. Coleman picked up a tapa and bit into it, clearly enjoying it.

"Damn these are good…so seriously if you leave town a lot of people will miss you."

She arched a brow.

"Coleman that's very nice of you to say but if I drove my car into a ditch and died, it would take over a month before someone noticed and Anna put out an APB on me."

Coleman frowned.

"I'd notice if you were missing."

She bit into her tapa again. Damn these things were delicious, as she finished one, licked off her fingers and then reached for another.

"That's sweet Coleman. Now pour me another glass of that vodka."

He held up a hand.

"Alexis…I told you I was cutting you off."

She smirked.

"I did what you wanted. I am having some of Mac's delicious tapas remembering what it was like when I tasted my first one…and my second…and my third off of a rather impressive set of abs of a soccer player who…."

Coleman chortled.

"Alexis…did I hear you right?" I never pictured you as the type that would seduce a man through his abs."

She smiled, as he finally refilled her glass.

"I've always had a weakness for them. Another transgression of mine that I've got to get over. But Rodrigo was a lot of fun"

"Sounds like a great time…."

She smiled.

"I got all the major food groups that night."

He tilted his face, pushing her glass towards her.

"Is that the vodka or the tapas?"

She licked her lips eying the plate again.

"It's you Coleman, like I said, you're kind of cute and you listen to me without putting in a 'but' in less than five…"

"Minutes…"

"Words…I do appreciate that and I like you and I've always found bearded men attractive…"

He sighed.

"That's definitely the vodka…"

She shook her head.

"No it's you and your bar side manner…"

She slid off of her barstool and landed a bit wobbly on her boots. Coleman eyed her dismount critically.

"Alexis…I think you've had a bit much…"

She shook her head.

"Nah…the party's just getting started. I'm going to put on some music…. "

The worn out juke box boasted over 500 songs most of them reflecting Mac's eclectic choices from country western, to punk rock to Barry Manilow and just about every melody, dirge, ballad and instrumental in between.

She fished for a quarter and stuck it in the machine, She couldn't decide on a song because she didn't know why…so she just pushed some buttons randomly. She heard the whirl of the machine and the click of the record dropping. Then the music started playing, a familiar ballad song filled the empty bar.

"_We're caught in a trap. I can't walk out._

_Because I love you too much baby…"_

_Why can't you see? What you're doing to me?_

_When you don't believe a word I'm saying…'"_

Oh god…bad selection. Damn, she wanted to get her money back. She tried to find the buttons to get the juke box machine to stop playing.

"Alexis…what are you doing?"

She looked back at Coleman who still stood behind the bar looking amused. She glared back at him.

"I'm trying to get the machine to stop playing that damn song…how do I make it stop?"

He sighed.

"Pull the plug…but go easy baby, Mac would dock my pay until the next millennia if it breaks again."

She tried to find the damn plug but the cord was under the damn machine. So she did the next best thing. She started kicking it with her boot.

The machine quaked but refused to budge. Elvis Presley's angst filled voice warbled on, about suspicious minds and dreams and loves…blah blah and other nonsense. Elvis deserved another kick for that.

The machine shook and still the music played.

_If only our love survived__  
><em>_I'd dry the tears from your eyes__  
><em>_Just don't let a good thing die__  
><em>_Well honey, you know I would never lie to you_

She stopped kicking it, her body tensing up.

"Oh bullshit…there never was a time…that you didn't lie to me…"

Another boot clad kick of the machine even harder, but this time the machine hit back, sending her sprawling backward off balance.

Just when she thought she'd crash to the ground bruising her butt and her dignity, she felt a pair of strong hands catch her, gripping her waist tightly.

"Hey, don't break the floor…"

* * *

><p>Molly opened the door and saw an elderly woman with silver hair standing in a black trench coat and carrying a small purse, with rhinestones glittering like miniature disco balls on it.<p>

The woman looked…old but elegant, and she seemed friendly enough. She smiled at Molly and extended a gloved hand.

"Hello my dear Molly…do you remember me?"

Molly frowned…shaking it tentatively. Something about the woman definitely looked familiar but she couldn't remember quite what. Her voice, the smell of her perfume…the regal way she stood in the doorway.

"Aren't you going to invite me inside? As I told you darling we're family."

Molly bit her lip.

"I don't remember…but you do look familiar."

Helena smiled, her eyes animated.

"Why I'm your Step Grandmother Helena Cassadine. But you can call me Helena. You can't call me grandmother, granny or any such thing."

Molly's jaw dropped. What the….how could it be? Her jaw quivered, as she stared at the ghost in front of her.

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

Helena chuckled, folding her arms and perusing the living room of the hotel suite.

"Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated," she said, "you can never keep a good Cassadine down or is that a bad one?"

Molly pursed her lips, still feeling shocked at the sight in front of her. Damn this was all her mother's fault. If she hadn't been born from an illicit affair between her mother and Mikkos Cassadine then Helena wouldn't have wrecked so much havoc in their lives. If only she had normal parents…wait she did have one. Her dad who loved her more than any parent ever could love his daughter coming back to her after languishing in the hellish confines of witness protection programming counting the days until he could see his daughter again. Wrap his arms around her so that she could smell his cologne.

If it hadn't been for her mother choosing that lowlife mobster kingpin over her heroic daddy.

She cleared her throat.

"What are you doing here?"

Helena purred, taking off her trench coat and handing it to Molly.

"Be a dear and help me with that….and I'll tell you."

Molly sagged under the heavy coat but draped it on the back of a chair. Helena walked past her and made herself at home on the sofa. Molly sat in the chair where she put the coat.

"So why are you here?"

Helena paused.

"I wanted to see you. It's been so long and when I ran into your mother…"

Molly snarled.

"Don't mention her to me. I am mad at her and I'm living with my daddy here now."

A flash of irritation passed on Helena's face but she continued, intertwining her gloved fingers and placing them on her lap.

"Your father's back in town? Where is he now? Ah, yes I believe I did see him at the Metro Court with Liz Webber."

Molly nodded.

"They are on a date tonight."

Helena slowly drew one finger across her chin thoughtfully.

"I see…and he's left you here all by yourself why he gallivants on the town?"

Molly frowned.

"It's not like that. My daddy loves me. He came out of witness protection just for me. He's invited me to live with him. He's the best daddy in the world."

Helena looked at her in a calculated way.

"My child. How can you be so ignorant about your father? It's so unfortunate that your parents have allowed you to live in this world looking at it with rose colored glasses…"

"I…what do you mean?"

Helena smiled widely.

"My dear grandchild…you need to know about your own parents. God, your mother born of an insipid woman, if I could slit her throat like I did her mother's….well that's for another time…"

Molly looked at her incredulously.

"You wouldn't really do that would you?"

Helena didn't blink.

"In a heartbeat…but moving on, we need to have a little chat about your father…."

* * *

><p>Julian removed his earplugs. Olivia the latest baby mama had left the building. She had gone to visit her friend Ted after fighting with him over the ultrasound appointment to check out the status of Jerome Jr.<p>

She threw some pots and pans around the room and then tore off. Damn her hormones or moods were driving him crazy.

Still he was excited about having another child on the way. He'd been denied to see his other children when they'd been born. He never saw them take their first breaths. Never saw them lying in the bassinet. Never changed a diaper. Never saw a child of his blood take a first step or say its first word.

He sat on the couch and reached for the remote to watch Golden Girls with his plate of pasta that Olivia had tossed together before leaving him alone.

* * *

><p>Carlos had reported to him on the latest shipments coming in the harbor. The legitimate shipments, going through customs with the not so legitimate hiding in plain sight. He'd just nodded back before sending Carlos away to follow up on a shipment of artwork arriving the following day.<p>

His business was looking up. Sonny was locked up in Pentonville and Duke had taken over his territory. Olivia was due to have her ultrasound and it would give him the first look at his child.

He'd never had the opportunity to raise any of his children from birth. He'd only discovered Sam and Lucas when they'd been adults. This time around, he'd been given a chance to do it all right.

The door opened and in walked Dianne, dressed to the nines from her low cut blouse to her six inch stilettos. He had hired her to do work, strictly on the legit side of the business. She gave him a pointed look.

"You look dour and thoroughly domesticated."

He just stared up at her from the plate of pasta on his lap.

"Dianne, did you file those contracts?"

She nodded.

"I did and now I'm off to the Floating Rib to meet up with my Alexis…you know her the woman you claimed to love before you banged some random reject of Sonny's and knocked her up because you didn't have enough sense to slap the latex on."

Julian felt irritation fill him.

"What in the hell are you talking about?"

She folded her arms flashing him an impatient look.

"Really Julian, ignorance is not your most flattering side. I was in court with her today and wow…talk about shooting a woman down."

Julian frowned.

"You saw Alexis?"

She nodded.

"Yeah I did and as soon as I turn my heel on your sorry ass I'm going to join her at the Rib and we're going to party. She's a single woman now and we're going to party."

He shook his head.

"She's not like that."

Dianne rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah like you know…I've been her friend longer than you were her lover and I'll tell you, we will have fun tonight while you sit here with your home cooked meal and television waiting for your baby mama to return to you."

"It didn't have to be this way."

Dianne smirked.

"Oh she was supposed to be the one who cleaned up your mess. Julian, you did this to yourself. You did Olivia too and expecting Alexis to stand around while you create some domestic fantasy with your latest baby mama to make up for the past…"

"What do you mean?"

She stared at him straight on. Dianne didn't pull her punches. One reason he'd hired her on the contracts but it unnerved him now.

"You expect her to stand around and watch you dote on Olivia because you hit the bulls eye with her? Don't you understand how much pain that causes her? Every moment you see her try to make up for the past with Olivia, she's reminded of how you failed her?"

"I had no idea she was carrying my child."

Dianne shrugged.

"No you didn't' but she's watching you with earth mama Falconari who's only purpose is to cook, clean and breed and it takes her back to that time in her life when her baby…your baby was taken away from her…even after her father promised her that wouldn't happen."

Julian was stricken, not knowing what to say. Dianne continued, unmoved by his silence.

"She was 16 years old Julian and alone in the world. You planted your flag and moved on without a care in the world…"

His eyes dimmed.

"I didn't know. If I had…"

Diane softened.

"I know…you can't change the past and I know you're trying with this…wailing banshee that you knocked up but try not to trample on my dear friend's feelings why you're at it okay? It's bad enough she thinks you're into passive doormats in the women you bed."

"It was a one night stand…Alexis did…"

She shook her head.

"Alexis didn't force your hand. You made your own choices. You got your heart broken. It happens and you thought with your dick. Men truly are the weaker species after all. Rewrite history with this woman who's clearly more your speed but you hurt my friend…and these nice six inch heels I'm wearing imported from Paris I bought on sale at Saks will be kicking your ass."

She turned around and walked out leaving him alone with his thoughts and his pasta.

* * *

><p>Alexis turned her head and her eyes widened.<p>

"You're Carlos aren't you? Yeah I think I got you out of Pentonville for Michael."

He released her after she stood on her two feet and she turned around to face him. He wore faded denim and a muscle tee-shirt under a leather jacket.

"Yeah it's me and you still owe me that chance to repay you for how you helped me."

She shook her head.

"I did that as a favor to Michael. He really wanted to set things right and not keep an innocent man behind bars a moment longer than necessary."

He smiled.

"Well thanks…and I still owe you. I'm a free man now who doesn't believe in love or happily ever after…"

She felt her throat tighten.

"I don't either…anymore. It's not endgame for a Cassadine to find true love or live happily .As if I needed a reminder…"

He nodded.

"Ah you mean my boss."

Alexis grimaced.

"Please I don't want to talk about him. He's where he needs to be with the mother of his future child. I know family is important to him and he and Olivia…they're a good match. She won't make his life any harder or second guess his choices. Besides he's made it clear to me that he's upset that I won't stay with him."

Carlos sighed.

"You can tell me about it. I owe you that much for my freedom."

She shook her head, sadness threatening to overcome her.

"I can't talk about it and besides I'm a Cassadine and we don't about our feelings. Let's focus on celebrating your freedom…I'll buy the first drink."

He paused and nodded.

"Okay…I'll have some tequila if that bartender can rustle some up. "

Alexis glanced at Coleman behind the bar.

"Consider it a date…."


	3. Chapter 3

Alexis looked up at Carlos while his arms still gripped her body to hold her steady. She had stumbled over her feet again and he'd caught her.

"I'm okay…really…you can let go of me already."

Carlos still held onto her.

"I don't feel like I should…"

Alexis relaxed in his embrace. His arms did feel nice wrapped around her. It'd been a while since she felt secure in someone's embrace. She almost surrendered to it but then remembered she wasn't that person anymore so she pulled away from him.

"Let me go. You really don't have to do that. I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone else."

He released her reluctantly.

"I'm sorry. I was just trying to help. You were falling over your own feet."

He seemed sincere so she softened. Really he wasn't the enemy here. He hadn't hurt her after all.

"Okay it's just that I handle myself and I don't rely on anyone else. It's just easier that way."

He gestured to a nearby table.

"Why don't we sit down? I'd buy you a drink but that bartender said he cut off your tab."

She chuckled derisively.

"Coleman always knows how to ruin a good time. He means well but I can handle my liquor. I'm part Russian."

Carlos nodded.

"I'm sure you can but why don't we sit down for a moment?"

She pointed a finger into his chest. He didn't even flinch just stood there looking at her.

"I can even handle you…"

"Yeah but…here's the chair…."

He took her arm and led her to the table and she dutifully sat down in a chair and started picking at the pretzel bowl. He sat down across from her.

"So you really didn't like Elvis Presley that you were going to take out the juke box machine?"

She shrugged, sticking a pretzel in her mouth.

"He's dead isn't he? I just don't like that song right now not after…I don't need to hear it right now. It's too much…my life."

He grabbed a pretzel.

"I know what you mean. I can't listen to Rainbow Connection since I lost my dear Sabrina to madness. It was…our song."

Alexis frowned.

"We didn't have a song. Well he can find one with Mama Pasta but I'm really sorry that it didn't work out. Love sucks doesn't it?"

Carlos paused and nodded.

"I'm done with it. My heart has been smashed with the hammer of fate into a million pieces. I shall carry these wounds for the rest of my life. She was my one…true love."

Alexis fidgeted with the pretzel.

"Yeah I know how that goes. I don't believe in true love myself but I do believe in broken hearts."

Carlos sighed.

"I'm done with love. It never plays out like it does in the Hallmark movies. It lies. It breaks a man's spirit. It crushes all his hopes and dreams…"

Alexis arched an eyebrow.

"You have such a way with words. Ever think about being a poet?"

He smiled.

"I'm an artist or I was back in Puerto Rico. I even had a small gallery…I and my…."

He covered his face with his hands and Alexis reached across the table and rubbed his shoulder.

"This too shall pass…. You'll get through it. We both will….."

She turned her head over to Coleman.

"I think you owe this man some tequila shots…the first round will be on me…"

Coleman nodded and went to work. Alexis smiled at the heartbroken man across from her.

"Let's have some fun tonight…"

* * *

><p>Molly had been sent by Helena to fetch some snacks for her dear old grandmother who had traveled such a long distance to see her.<p>

So she found some Girl Scout cookies and some hot chocolate for Helena who waited in the living room. She organized the cookies, mint peanut butter and coconut on a holiday plate and put them and the hot chocolate complete with marshmallows bobbing near the brim of the cups.

Helena smiled when she lugged the tray in and lay it on the table.

"My my, you'd make an excellent house servant. Do you cook as well?"

Molly sat back down and shook her head.

"No one cooks in this house."

Helena frowned, as she picked up her hot chocolate and took a sip. Molly sensed her disapproval.

"So…Helena what did you want to tell me about my father?"

The older woman set the cup down.

"Oh…I just want to tell you a story…See I knew your father even before he married your mother. He was married to that insipid twit named Liz who tried to get her clutches in my Nikolas. Anyway, he wanted to give her a child very badly so he hatched a plan to get another man's child, his brother's…"

Molly felt puzzlement fill her.

"What…what are you talking about? My father never did anything to hurt anyone…ever. Everyone seemed to like him."

Helena pursed her lips.

"Everyone? Molly…dear child how many people went to the funeral? Was there even a funeral?"

Molly paused wrinkling her brow.

"Well no, but I lit him a candle in the chapel. He was the best daddy in the whole world. He'd never hurt anyone."

Helena stroked her chin with a finger.

"Maybe not…but he did kidnap someone who was pregnant and kept her chained up in a panic room in the basement without his precious bride being any the wiser. Not that pulling the wool over her is any major feat."

"My father wouldn't kidnap someone. He was DA once you know. He prosecuted criminals and put them behind bars."

Helena chuckled.

"We'll get to that part of the story later. Where was I? Let's see yes, Ric kidnapped that trailer trash shew named Carly and held her prisoner so he could take the baby when it was born."

Molly grimaced.

"No…my father wouldn't do that. He's not like that…"

Helena smiled.

"That's why there's something called the internet. You are familiar with google?"

Molly nodded, picking up a cookie.

"Well it all worked out because Carly escaped and Sonny went after Ric. Though maybe Snarly was safer in the panic room because Sonny shot her in the head when she was birthing his low-breed brat…"

Molly felt shock permeate her body.

"You have to be making this all up."

Helena smiled, picking up a mint crisp.

"Hardly my child, do not be insolent. I'm just getting to the better part of my story. When Ric hooked up with your mother…"

Molly grumbled.

"She's so unreasonable and selfish. Sometimes I wish I were adopted."

Helena sighed.

"I wish none of you were born at all. If only I'd trusted my more basic instincts and slit your mother's throat along with her mother's but there's still time for that."

Molly couldn't think of a response to that. Helena brightened.

"Your parents didn't marry for love and you certainly weren't conceived in love," she said, "not that it matters because while your foolish mother was knocked up with you, Ric decided he didn't find her sexually desirable anymore if he ever did. You know how men are, they want young pretty things, not tired out pregnant women so Ric chased a younger woman."

Molly's mouth fell open.

"You're lying…."

"Hardly…the fact that his younger lover had also bedded his brother made her all the more desirable to his libido."

Molly looked down at her hands.

"Well if it is true…it's my mother's fault for not keeping him happy…"

Helena picked up another cookie, relishing it.

"Everyone in town knew about it my child. He got wasted and announced his torrid affair in front of everyone at a party. Fitting since your mother was the bastard product of another affair."

Molly's lower lip drooped.

"That wouldn't be the only woman he'd seduce into his bed…or as it turned out that lovely orange rug. You remember that rug don't you, in the living room of the house that your mother's latest lover got blown up."

"Well yeah but…?"

"No, the next young woman he'd seduce was much, much closer to home…"

* * *

><p>Jasper Jacks walked into the MC, luggage in hand and headed to the front desk to check into his suite.<p>

He'd flown all the way from Sydney on the Lear Jet after finding out that his daughter, little Joss had been placed in a psychiatric ward for evaluation after she threw a tantrum. Her nanny had tried to get her to wear a new purple dress rather than the same old yellow and green outfit she insisted on wearing every day.

Joss had been strapped to a gurney after the paramedics came out, muttering he who walks among the rows over and over. Puzzled doctors pored over something called the DSM –V to find a diagnosis but so far it eluded them.

So after seeing her in the hospital he headed to the hotel. He'd left a message for Alexis that he was back in town. Carly of course was visiting Sonny in Pentonville, as she did every day.

The man behind the counter smiled at him.

"Your regular suite?"

Jax nodded.

"I'll have my bags sent up. I have some errands to run before settling in."

"Very well Mr. Jacks. Welcome back to Pt. Charles."

Jax sighed, wishing it were under better circumstance. He headed back to the parking lot where his Mustang would be waiting and decided to hunt him down some grub.

He thought of just the perfect place.

* * *

><p>Alexis had downed a couple shots with Carlos and felt the warmth in her throat, permeate her body. Carlos had picked a nice selection of music on the juke box that didn't include any songs which were emotional triggers for either one of them.<p>

"Hey am I late to this party?"

Alexis looked up and saw Dianne walking towards them, dressed to the nines, more suited for the Floating Rib of decades ago than now. She threw her coat on the empty chair with a huge smile.

"I'm going to get Coleman to whip me up a martini. It's been one of those days."

Carlos eyed the woman up and down, with a smile.

"So you going to join us?"

Dianne winked.

"In a moment. I got to make Coleman's whole week first…"

Both watched her walk back to the bar. Alexis sighed.

"Sometimes I want to be her. When it comes to men, she just has fun with them. She never gets too involved. She never falls in love."

Carlos sighed.

"I knew there was something I liked about her…besides that smile."

She glanced back at Dianne and Coleman in animated discussion at the bar.

"It must be so nice to be able to do that. I don't ever want to fall in love again…but that doesn't mean I can't have fun."

"I agree…and the night's still young. The moon is full and neither of us believe in true love anymore."

She smirked.

"It could get interesting…especially with…"

They looked up as Dianne joined them carrying her martini and more pretzels.

"I had Coleman raid the kitchen and this was the best he could find. Enjoy…."

She sat down at her seat.

"Today was brutal wasn't it? That judge is an anal retentive jackass. I just want to kick back and have some martinis and maybe shoot some pool…damn this place is dead tonight."

Carlos nodded.

"I might be interesting in a pool game."

Dianne and Alexis looked at each other. Dianne smiled at him, fetching a pretzel.

"All right….let me get liquored up a bit first, then we'll do a game, the three of us."

Alexis put her hand up.

"I don't know about this Dianne. My game's gotten a bit rusty…I'm out of practice."

Dianne rubbed her hands together with glee.

"All the better…Alexis you're free and single and it's time to show some of those assets off to our…guest here."

Carlos looked puzzled.

"Assets? This is pool we're talking about here isn't it?"

Dianne nodded.

"We haven't told you the rules yet….but you're going to need a couple more shots of tequila before we get started…"


	4. Chapter 4

Alexis loved her tequila shots. The first couple relaxed her, the next acted as a truth serum and then after that…all her worries faded away.

Damn Mac had purchased a great brand, she thought slamming the first one on the table. She reached for another pretzel to provide the saltiness that made the flavor even more incredible. Her heart swelled, wasn't it frigging awesome to be sitting in the Floating Rib surrounded by friends not having to think how inadequate she must be including sexually to once again lose someone she loved to a younger woman.

At least Julian hadn't thrown that in her face like Ric had done. But it was always like that with hot men wasn't it? When given a choice between her and a younger, firmer model well, it was pretty easy to predict what they'd want. A couple of shots of tequila later, it just never mattered as much.

"Alexis, you're smiling…"

She glanced over at Dianne and raised her glass.

"This tequila is the best I've ever tasted. These pretzels, you can taste every grain of salt on them. Exquisite."

Dianne laughed.

"Alexis you're having problems holding your liquor again which means tonight's going to be incredibly fun."

Carlos nodded.

"Let's have fun and for what it's worth, my boss is an idiot if he threw what he had with you away."

Alexis frowned.

"He made the choice and if he didn't choose his child then he wouldn't be much of a man would he? He'd be just like the rest of the men I've been involved with…well except for the not stealing my child part."

She slammed a shot glass down.

"Helena's right, any man is really in way over their head with me so from now on I'm going to leave the falling in love part to fairy tales and younger women with perfect bodies and just have fun."

Carlos wrinkled his brow.

"What's wrong with your body? You're a very beautiful sexy woman. Like I said, my boss is an idiot."

She shook her head.

"He's got to be there for his new baby and her mother. I get that…Some things just aren't meant to last…I know there's a song on the juke box about that."

Dianne shot a warning look.

"You are not going near that song Alexis. We're here to forget all broken hearts and have ourselves a good time."

Alexis nodded.

"I'm having a great time…Carlos here's turned out to be a really fun guy and since neither of us believe in true love, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."

Carlos picked up another shot glass and chugged it down.

"Absolutely. I'm up for a game of pool. How about you?"

Dianne and Alexis looked at each other and nodded…so they left the tequila alone for a while and got up to acquaint themselves with the pool cues. Carlos set up the rack and placed all the balls inside of it.

Dianne whispered to Alexis.

"We play our cards right, we can have mob boy stripped down to his skivvies inside a half hour. He doesn't know that tequila turns you into a pool shark."

Alexis licked her lips.

"Sounds like a plan…you think he'll be up to it?"

Dianne grinned.

"Oh most definitely…Oh Alexis I've missed you. You weren't nearly this fun when you're once again in love with a man who'll just burn you."

Alexis felt her throat tighten but she grabbed her pool cue. She was here to have a good time and not remember how she felt before she hit the vodka.

"You ready to play?"

Carlos grinned.

"I hope you two are loaded because I'm about to empty your wallets."

Alexis shook her head.

"Oh we don't play pool for money, we play for clothes until someone's left standing naked."

Carlos looked almost taken aback by her matter of fact explanations of the rules to this particular pool game but quickly recovered. He was a man after all.

"Okay I can handle that…two gorgeous women like yourselves…let's get started..."

Alexis and Dianne just looked at each other and smiled. Carlos was in for a hell of a ride but Alexis would make sure it wasn't too bumpy.

She kind of liked the man who was now her kindred spirit when it came to love.

* * *

><p>Molly hyperventilated into a paper bag. Her mother always kept plenty on hand for those moments when all the oxygen seemed to dissipate from the room.<p>

Though lately her mother hadn't needed them so they remained on the shelf unused and gathering dust. Molly had found them when she dashed into the kitchen claiming she needed a bathroom break from Helena's twisted story telling.

Just in the nick of time.

She'd come back and Helena simply picked up from where she left off when it came to providing a narrative for the life of Molly's father.

"The sight of your father cavorting on the rug with your sister nearly drove your mother crazy. After all she had just found out she was sick before witnessing them rutting like pigs in her own house. Now, I cheered her illness with champagne and caviar but alas she cheated death once again…still if she'd been a real Cassadine, she would have gelded her husband with a steak knife."

Molly nearly went mute. A rarity in her life but still she struggled to come up with some words to say. God, was any of what this woman told her true? Did her father….no it had to be something he was driven to…if it happened it couldn't be his fault.

"If it happened it's got to be my mother's fault. She probably drove him to it."

Helena smiled.

"Your father did just that. He blamed it on your mother .I don't know if that's before or after he threw her in that jail cell."

Molly's eyes widened.

"WHAT?!"

Helena nodded, reaching for a coconut cookie.

"These are really quite tasty, with a hint of lemon. Well, your mother was extremely ill and in horrible pain…which made me quite giddy. She bought some…weed and smoked it to help her. So your father threw her in a jail cell for not immediately absolving him of his sins."

Molly shook her head. Her head was about to explode with all these revelations. She wondered if it were possible for that to actually happen.

Still she rewound the mantra she'd recorded in her brain when it came to speaking the truth about her father with his enemies.

She took a sip of her hot chocolate to clear her head.

"No…besides she was breaking the law technically and if my daddy was DA well…it's her fault."

She picked up the bag and started breathing into it, expanding it with each exhalation. Helena sipped her hot chocolate, watching her.

"Well yes…but your mother though an illegitimate brat whose throat should have been slit long ago, your father requires more delicate handling…pity he's still walking around."

Molly's lip trembled.

"My daddy loves me. He loves me. He loves only me. He loves me…"

Helena sighed happily.

"Now why don't we move onto the chapter where he extorted one of Sonny's mobster molls into sex…that harpy named Claudia…"

Molly reached for the paper bag again.

* * *

><p>Jax stopped at the mart to pick up some toiletry supplies to avoid the criminally high prices at the MC.<p>

Really $12 for a tube of toothpaste. Highway extortion so he decided to run this errand before getting a meal to eat that didn't cost $15 and filled only a quarter of a salad plate.

Joss was sedated in the psychiatric ward at GH and in the morning, he would consult with the medical team led by Dr. Kevin Collins to outline a treatment plan.

He filled his basket and turned the corner nearly bumping into Ned.

"I didn't see you….Hi Ned."

Ned smiled.

"I didn't know you'd be in town though with what's happening to Joss…"

Jax shook his head.

"It's awful but she's going to be in much better hands. After she's treated, I'm taking her back to Sydney. I'm sure Carly will be too busy enabling Sonny to notice."

Ned sighed.

"I'm sorry you have to go through that. I've been through a rough patch myself. Alexis broke up with me."

Jax looked puzzled.

"I didn't even know you two were dating let alone together."

Ned reached for a packet of dental floss.

"We were…dating and well, someone had to save her from herself! She'd gone chasing another mobster, a really scummy one named Julian Jerome. You heard of him…"

"Yeah I thought he died in a blaze of gunfire a couple decades ago."

Ned nodded.

"He was dead, now he's not. You know Alexis she just can't resist these dangerous men. She's almost pathological with it."

Jax frowned.

"So you're telling me you've come down with a terrible case of "White Knight Syndrome" again? Really Ned, when will you finally know better than you can't rescue people from themselves?"

"But…"

"No…Alexis is an intelligent passionate woman who like most of sometimes makes poor choices in love. She's an adult not a child so let her make her own mistakes…"

Ned reached for a tooth brush.

"If only she ever listened to the advice that I gave her," he said, "Really I knew there was a better person inside of her than this…this…"

Jax smiled.

"This flawed one? Ned, Alexis grew up surrounded by sociopaths. Her mother was murdered by Helena and her brothers were two different kinds of crazy."

Ned put a hand up.

"I know that. I know the biography…"

Jax shrugged.

"You know the events…but I know the feelings that they caused inside her. I was actually married to the woman."

Ned grimaced.

"Well, did you know that Julian had sex with Olivia and got her pregnant? How smart was Alexis to make a choice to be with him? She's much better off with me."

Jax nodded slightly.

"That might be but what if she's just not happier with you? I think you need to stop being so judgmental of people. It's not as if you haven't made your own mistakes. Faith Roscoe anyone?"

Ned glared.

"That's dirty pool…I wasn't myself at the time..."

Jax sighed.

"Ned you're never going to find any happiness if you keep believing that you're perfect and everyone else isn't. Trust me you'll be much happier if you can embrace your imperfection….life's much simpler that way."

Footsteps approached them and they looked to see Patrick with Emma in tow filling up the basket with bags of candy. He saw them and smiled.

"Hi…we're just shopping for Emma's classroom party tomorrow…"

The two other men greeted him. Patrick gave Jax a sympathetic look.

"I heard about Joss. I'm sorry. I've been called to consult on her CAT scans tomorrow…"

Jax nodded.

"Thank you…it's not clear what's wrong with her or what's feeding this obsession that's got her entrapped."

Patrick placed a hand on Jax' shoulder.

"The best medical minds are at GH and I'm sure there will be answers soon."

"I hope so…"

Emma pouted.

"Joss stole my heart from Cameron."

Patrick bent down to her eye level.

"I'm sure that she was very ,very sorry sweetheart. She hasn't been herself lately. She'll be better once the doctors find out what's wrong with her."

Emma smirked.

"She's a brat….oops did I say that out loud?"

Patrick looked at Jax uneasily.

"She's going through some tough times herself. What with my breakup with Sam."

Jax narrowed his eyes.

"Sam? You went out with her?"

"Not really…we were friends not long after I discovered that her ex-husband Jason was really alive…"

Ned and Jax looked at each other in shock. Jax responded first.

"Jason's alive?"

Patrick shook his head.

"No he was dead, then he was alive but now he's back to being dead again."

Ned sighed.

"No one ever stays dead for very long do they?"

They all heard footsteps arriving and looked up to see Julian walking in the store.

Ned snorted.

"Speak of the devil…"

* * *

><p>Julian had dropped by the mart to pick up some tums and a few other items as his heartburn had been acting up lately.<p>

Carlos had left him a text saying that he'd see him in the early afternoon, rather than in the morning. Something about him meeting two hot chicks at the Floating Rib. Julian sighed, thinking that some diversion might help him get over losing Sabrina to insanity.

Olivia was driving him crazy already. She dropped in the penthouse even though she was staying at the Q guesthouse. As much as he was looking forward to his new child despite the circumstances…there were still those circumstances.

Dianne had then promised to deliver on the signed contracts and then ripped him a new one over Alexis.

He hadn't seen Alexis since she'd left him. It was as if she'd dropped off the planet. But he knew she was likely busy with her legal work and busy with Boat Shoes if she'd gone back to him. The thought of that…he wasn't going to think about it.

The choice he'd made hadn't been his own. His unborn child had made it for him. No way he wasn't going to be part of his or her life. Even if that meant sharing that with a woman who meant nothing to him…over one who meant everything?

He saw some aspirin and tossed that in his basket too.

Business had been booming, he, Carlos and others were taking advantage of the vacuum caused by Sonny going to prison. He needed the territory as leverage against his boss. The same one or ones that had tried to hunt him down and kill him.

So if he had the power, then he'd live to see another day to push towards the next. He took out his phone and texted Carlos to tell him when he'd drop the shipment by the warehouse tomorrow.

A few minutes later Carlos texted him that he'd get it done. Also that if his boss tweeted him on business tonight well he was too busy having that good time…then something about losing his shirt.

Julian sighed.

Carlos was really going to have to do something about his gambling habit before he wound up in hock to the loan shark again.

"Hey Jerome…what are you doing here?"

Julian looked up and saw the prepster heading towards him.

* * *

><p>Alexis and Dianne's eyes scoured every inch of Carlos' torso after Alexis divested him of his shirt by sinking one of the pretty striped balls in what was that again, oh yeah the corner pocket.<p>

Damn he looked sumptuous. Dianne purred.

"You are clearly a man who works out…"

Carlos shrugged.

"I do okay. I spent a lot of time with the weights in Pentonville."

Dianne folded her arms, dressed in her bustier after having to remove her blouse. She didn't look bothered in the least.

Alexis had yet to surrender one item of clothing. She'd probably beat the pants off of both of them because the more tequila shots she slugged down, the better her game got.

She lined up another shot. Carlos put up a hand.

"Hey Alexis…you sure you've hardly ever played this game before?"

She leaned on her pool cue and shot him a sharp look.

"You accusing me of being a liar?"

He smiled.

"Noooooooo but you've not missed a shot yet."

She smiled back at him.

"I…lucky. Let's see I'm supposed to wait to the very end to sink the solid black ball right? What's it called again?"

Carlos cleared his throat.

"The eight ball…yeah you don't want to sink that first…you do and you might have to take off all your clothes at once."

Alexis chuckled.

"That'll never happen. You see…No one's going to see my body tonight…"

Carlos frowned.

"Why not?"

Alexis chalked up her cue tip.

"Really, I've been sown up with fishing line, had a lung removed and an appendectomy to boot…That's why I play to win."

He shook his head.

"Hey, our bodies are the maps of our lives…and I've got scars, look here I got stabbed on the shoulder in a Puerto Rican alley and I got shot just under my armpit…"

He raised his arm so she could see.

"That was during a deal gone sour…See now that you've seen my scars it's only fair I see yours…"

She sobered quickly.

"I…don't think so…"

Dianne snorted.

"Oh come on….Let's get on with getting our friend here buck naked. I want to see what he's got…"

Carlos didn't seem at all fazed by Dianne. Alexis just shook her head at both of them and set up her shot.

Solid orange in the side pocket and one step closer to finally being able to forget….


	5. Chapter 5

Coleman wandered out to the pool table, his eyes lit up with amusement. Alexis watched him from where she held her pool cue. Damn, he looked awfully handsome, in a virile kind of way.

Why hadn't she noticed it earlier? The things he could do just with his thick eyebrows…those tiny flecks of gold in his green eyes…so many things she hadn't noticed about the bartender. He'd kept his distance from their pool game having learned from experience not to get too close. He appraised them in their various state of dress or undress.

"Dude you got some serious problems...because Alexis here will have you buck naked and served on a platter before the hour's done."

Poor Carlos had lost both shoes and socks along with his shirt. Dianne had her blouse piled on a table next to one of her bracelets. She folded her arms and looked at Coleman as he approached.

"You bring us some refreshment? Alexis here told me you brought out some of Mac's tasty tapas earlier."

Coleman lifted his hands.

"Fresh out…but there might be some chocolate cookies ready to put in the oven…"

Dianne tilted her face.

"That'll work….then after we strip Carlos down you can play the second game…"

Coleman shook his head.

"I'm the hired help and I'm required to keep my clothes on down to my boots. Besides I know what happens when I match cues with Alexis…It'll just be me and my thong."

Alexis chuckled.

"The leopard spots on you were very becoming."

She thought she saw a hint of color in Coleman's cheeks before he left them to head back to the kitchen. Dianne gestured to Alexis.

"Your shot…Carlos…the pants are coming off next…"

He shook his head.

"Nah I'm holding onto the rest of my clothes. I'm just getting warmed up."

Dianne beamed.

"Good…I look forward to seeing your best game then. You best start playing it before Alexis and I find out whether you're a boxer or brief guy."

His eyes flashed.

"How do you know I'm an underwear guy at all?"

Alexis conceded that point.

"True…I guess we'll find out then whether you into crewneck or turtleneck sweathers…"

Carlos laughed.

"That's for me to know and you to find out…"

Alexis found herself idly wondering about the answer to that question herself. She knew she could outplay him.

She lined up her shot and narrowly avoided the 8 ball but sent another striped pretty into a side pocket as Carlos watched.

"Damn you just don't stop do you? Seriously, you're a ringer right?"

Alexis shrugged as she watched Carlos line up his cue, his fingers trembling just a bit. He scratched and with a sigh, he undid his belt and put it on the table.

"I need to take a break. I'm a little out of breath here."

Alexis and Dianne looked at each other.

"Fair enough…," Dianne said, "but it's not going to get any easier. She just gets better the later it gets."

Carlos whistled.

"Damn you're good….I don't know if I'm going to make it another round…I mean you still have everything on…doesn't seem fair."

Alexis reached for a pretzel.

"You agreed to play, knowing the rules. Besides I thought you were just getting warmed up."

He looked sheepish.

"But…you said you hardly knew your way around a stick. Yet you play like you're a pro."

They sat down at a nearby table while Dianne went to hassle Coleman some more to shame him into a pool game. Carlos looked a little out of breath. She felt like she needed some more shots. Liquor never got to her, coming from a long line of heavy drinkers on her father's side. They were down to the bottom of the bottle but she fired up one more into their glasses. They clinked them together then down the throats the fiery liquid churned.

Carlos smiled, after putting his glass down.

"So Alexis you feeling any better?"

She shrugged.

"A little…I don't know why I should feel anything at all. I mean I have the rest of my life. I have a great…job and…my family…except I don't see much of them because Sam's so damn angry because of Faison and her father…Molly think her dad's a super hero…damn I'm all alone…"

She didn't want to be inundated with emotions that she'd pushed so hard away into the part of her that would keep them locked up so she could just survive each day. Her throat felt tight all of a sudden, like she could barely swallow. She looked at both of them.

"I'm sorry…I'm really trying. I wish it were as easy for me…as it was for him to move onto the next thing."

Carlos frowned.

"You think that's what he did? Man my boss can be an idiot and a jerk but he wants to be a good father…because he didn't get that chance with his other kids."

She nodded slowly.

"I know and I'd be disappointed if he didn't want that…but I guess I envy Olivia…for having what I didn't when I was pregnant with Sam…god I never felt so much alone as I did…"

Emotions from ages past threatened to sweep through her, blame it on the damn tequila, but she didn't want any to slip out of her. Carlos reached over and stroked her hair off of her face.

"The man's vida loco right now but he does love your daughter and grandson…I know he wishes he could have been there…"

"It wouldn't have made any difference…my father…damn what was in that last tequila shot?"

Carlos smiled gently.

"Alexis…I'll be your friend. I…I saw the woman I love struggle with losing her baby after it was born because of a senseless act of violence. I couldn't really do anything to help her through her pain and grief."

She bowed her head.

"I heard about Gabriel. I'm so sorry for Sabrina. I'm even sorrier my own uncle murdered that child."

"It's not your fault…all I'm saying is that if you need anyone to talk to about anything…I'm a good listener."

She smiled at him.

"Thanks but I'm fine. I can handle myself. I just…can't share that with anyone else…certainly not right now…"

Dianne interrupted them when she arrived with another tequila bottle. Both Alexia and Carlos looked up at her.

"Who's ready to resume the pool game? Carlos we're going to get you buck naked!"

* * *

><p>Molly just wanted it to stop.<p>

Helena had sent her to the kitchen to refresh her hot chocolate and bring more of those delicious Girl Scout coconut cookies. She had no choice to obey. Her whole world was spinning especially after the revelation of what her daddy had done to Claudia.

She held the tray of hot chocolate and cookies in shaky hands as she returned to the living room. Helena had relaxed in her chair by then. She put the tray down and then sat back down again.

"Dear Molly, You do know that blackmailing someone into sex is considered rape in some states don't you so your father's a rapist."

Molly still held on tightly to her paper bag. She had slowed her breathing down but her brain was on overload.

"No…it can't be…besides I heard Claudia was evil. I think my cousin had to kill her."

Helena cackled.

"Oh my dear, that doesn't change what your father did to her," she said, "and like everything else in his pathetic life it wall about Sonny."

Molly started breathing in the bag again. Helena continued to tell her narrative.

"Face it dear, your father's a wannabe rapist when he's not screwing his step daughter on the living room carpet or…did I tell you he tried to frame your cousin Nikolas on false charges."

Molly didn't know how to respond to that.

"Dear child, your father also tried to convince that trailer trash Carly that he raped her too so she'd believe the baby she carried was actually his and not Sonny's…."

Molly wanted to writhe on the couch with her hands over her ears at that point. Why was Helena telling her all of this anyway? Why was she trying to destroy the image of her father? It all had to be lies, yes lies because her dad wouldn't ever do any of these horrible things.

Helena looked at her calmly.

"You're probably wondering why I'm telling you these things. It's because I cannot stand for insipid children who view life through rose colored lens."

Molly crumpled the paper bag in her hand.

"So…so what happens if I don't even have my father anymore?"

Helena smiled.

"You'll see…I was just getting to that part."

* * *

><p>Ned and Jax looked up to see Julian. Jax frowned, sizing him up very carefully.<p>

"That's Julian right?"

Ned nodded and approached him, swaggering a bit. Jax just stood there watching him. He knew that his favorite ex-wife had been hooked up with the mobster and that Sam had been sired by him in a one night stand years ago.

Alexis had talked a bit about Julian during their phone calls but never much. He could tell through the tone in her voice that she'd gone the repertoire of emotions she usually did in her failed relationships with men, going back to her dear and now deceased half-brother Stefan.

Last conversation, she was definitely broken up with him but he knew it hadn't come easily. Julian looked up at both of them.

"Ted…and you're Jasper Jacks…Jerry's brother."

Jax narrowed his eyes.

"I take it you know my brother then. Well, he and I are not close."

Ned snorted.

"He's been thick as thieves with old Jerry."

Julian countered.

"So has your own father and he has a more recent history with him than I do. Isn't that right…Ned?"

Jax looked over at Ned.

"Is that true? Your father is working with my brother?"

Ned paused.

"Yes…but I haven't seen my father in over a month. He could have been kidnapped for all I know."

Julian nodded.

"Possible but I think he's in it up to his neck with both Jerry and Faison…he's not an innocent player."

Ned sighed.

"My father has nothing to do with me. I can condemn his life choices and still care what happens to him."

Jax nodded.

"I can with my brother Jerry though when he hurts the ones I love that becomes difficult. No it becomes impossible."

Julian glanced over at Jax.

"So you're the brother that Jerry keeps talking about? The one whose standards he can never quite meet?"

Jax chuckled humorously.

"That sounds just like him. Tell me, why would you hang around him if you were truly in love with my ex-wife?"

"You mean Alexis…"

"Of course I mean Alexis…she really loved you, though I told her that you'd just wind up breaking her heart and of course like the rest of her bad boys you wound up doing that…"

Ned nodded.

"He had her so brainwashed that she wouldn't even try to revisit what the two of us shared years ago…before that glitch with the wedding."

Jax looked at Ned.

"It was more than a 'glitch'. She didn't want to marry you. You just need to get over it already…it's been over a decade."

Ned shook his head.

"I can't…she wasn't thinking that day and I thought…age and the passage of time would bring her wisdom but alas…not. "

Jax smiled.

"Ned, she doesn't want to marry you. She doesn't want to feel smothered by your expectations of what you think she should be… the perfect Q wife. That would just be history repeating itself…she'll never be what you want her to be."

Julian interjected.

"You're not together anymore?"

Ned scowled, shaking his head.

"She's taking some time to come to her senses. ….none of your business. It's her fault for not realizing that I'm the right man for her."

Jax chuckled.

"Ned get over it. You lost her…again because she's not what you want her to be. Hell when I was married to her I didn't push her that way."

Julian felt confused.

"I think she's fine the way she is…"

Jax nodded.

"Me too…and I was married to her."

Ned fumed.

"I think she needs to figure out that I'm the best man for her…certainly not a two bit mobster thug like you Julian…She'll figure it out soon enough."

Julian sighed.

"You did something to her I'd never do…I'd never take her child away from her when she's at her most vulnerable to score points….That was you wasn't it?"

Ned just stared at him unable to respond. Jax cleared his throat.

"Okay let's not get into it here. You're talking about my favorite ex here and she matters a lot to me so both of you, you're going to have to treat her with respect instead of a chew toy to fight over."

Both men looked at him. Ned shook his head.

"If only she would see…'

Jax cut him off.

"No…Alexis has always known what she wants and it wasn't to be married to you so you're going to have to deal. As for you Mr. Jerome, I can't let you do anything that's going to hurt her more than you have already…'

Julian nodded.

"That's not my intention. I know she's upset with me right now."

Ned threw up his hands.

"Because you...you got Olivia pregnant. Granted she made some unwise choices but it was you…who drove her to it when she was vulnerable."

Julian nodded.

"She might have made some unwise choices…Ted. I made even poorer decisions."

Ned glared at him.

"You sure did…"

Jax stepped in between them.

"This is not going to help anything. You can continue your pissing match here if you'd like but I'm off to the Floating Rib."

Ned narrowed his eyes.

"Why?"

Jax sighed.

"Because I'm tired of overpriced, undercooked hotel fare and I'm hoping to run into my favorite ex-wife…Carry on…get arrested for disorderly conduct and then you can share a jail cell."

He walked away from them both and headed to the register with his basket.

* * *

><p>Alexis and Dianne looked at Carlos who was down to his boxers and for some reason, he wasn't eager to part with the gold bling around his neck.<p>

That was about to change because her next shot of the pretty little blue ball to its appropriate cradle in the corner pocket would force him to make a difficult choice. Dianne smiled at Carlos.

"Are you ready? Because you know she's going to nail that shot like the rest of them."

Carlos shrugged.

"I got nothing to hide…."

Dianne chuckled.

"If I had a dime for every time I heard that said I could probably buy the MC and turn it into a much more exciting place."

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"Dianne just give it up. Between Carly and Olivia that place will continue to lose money even if is apparently the only inn in town."

She got ready to line up her shot not willing to even think about the Snarly and Mama Pasta show tonight.

Coleman walked on by and gestured towards the door.

"Looks like you've got company…"

Alexis cradled her cue stick and followed his line of vision. Ric and his paramour Liz had just entered the bar.

"Oh great…what's he doing here? He's supposed to be spending more time with our daughter tonight."

Dianne frowned.

"How do you know?"

"Molly told me when I ran into her earlier at Kelly's yesterday. Ric was supposed to take her to see Frozen on Ice."

They watched as a smug Ric swaggered over to them with Liz in tow, a look of confusion on her face. He appraised the scene with a look of distaste on his face.

"See Liz this is what I told you," he said, "Alexis is here fleecing men out of their clothes at the local bar. What kind of example does that set for my daughter?"

Liz clutched his arm.

"Why don't we go someplace else? Nikolas told me of this wonderful new Thai place."

Ric sighed.

"Him again…no Liz, I realize once again that Molly will need one positive influence in her life, a parent that's truly been there for her."

Oh that just pissed Alexis off. 'The only reason why Molly worshipped the ground he walked on was because she didn't use her history with her father to score points.

"I see Skype Daddy is lecturing the parent who's actually raised 'his' daughter…by the way…Ric weren't you supposed to be taking Molly out tonight?"

Her least favorite ex-husband paused, then smiled.

"Oh I see you're going to hold that against me. Molly is totally cool with my taking Liz out tonight. We….can do Frozen on Ice another night. Liz wants to see it too."

Alexis sighed.

"I can imagine…how she feels about it."

Ric threw up his arms dramatically

"There you go again throwing it in my face. Liz can you see how she just drives me to it? I mean do you see what I have to put up with?"

Alexis just listened to his rant and Liz's apt attention to it. She didn't get Liz. She seemed only interested in her nephew when he was in love with someone else and she hung around Ric buying into his song and dance even after he nearly killed her twice.

Liz sighed.

"Let's just go. We promised Cameron we'd bring him home an ice-cream sundae."

Ric nodded.

"Okay let's go…we'll stop by and pick it up from Kelly's on the way to your place."

Alexis folded her arms.

"You mean you're sleeping at Liz's again and leaving Molly by herself?"

Ric turned on her.

"I am more than capable of looking after Molly. She's safe at home working on a scrapbook and was very happy when I left."

Alexis just shook her head at her ex, not surprised. Ric flared his nostrils.

"She's fine Alexis. She's much happier with me than she was with you…and that mobster lowlife lover of yours."

Carlos stepped forward.

"Watch it…who are you again? I heard about you at Pentonville how many people you had locked up who were innocent."

Ric smirked.

"What would you expect prison inmates to say? That they're guilty? No I was the best and most ethical DA this town's ever seen."

Carlos chuckled.

"Oh yeah was that when you were in bed with Johnny Z and well literally with Claudia. Yeah I heard all about you in the pen."

Ric glanced at Liz.

"Prison inmates…they'll say anything."

Liz nodded, gripping Ric's arm.

"Let's just go…Cameron's waiting."

They left the bar as Alexis and Carlos watched. Dianne threw up her arms.

"Well now that Slick Ric has left the building, let's get back to our game and Carlos here."

Alexis paused. She felt that familiar prickling at the back of her neck.

"In a minute, I think I'm going to give Molly a call to make sure she's okay. She might hate me right now but I'm still her mother."

Dianne and Carlos exchanged looks. Dianne smiled.

"Okay you go on ahead…and I'll go check on those chocolate chip cookies…."

Alexis got her phone out to call Molly. She was sure her daughter was fine back at Ric's suite but she wanted to make sure.

Just to be on the safe side.


	6. Chapter 6

Damn that Ric, Alexis thought to herself as she went to call Molly. Sashaying into the bar with his one true enabler playing his latest role as father of the year. Her least favorite ex was clearly delusional enough to think that playing Skype Daddy and parenting by letter was enough to put him into the running for that honor.

Hell in PC it was enough to get a daddy candidate into the finals. After all, there were fathers out there who were 2 for 3 when it came to shooting their own children.

Sonny had shot Dante and Michael and while he never got around to shooting Morgan, he did shoot his mother during childbirth. Alexis hoped that Ava's baby turned out to be Morgan's even though he was immature and rash in all his actions including hooking up with Ava. At least paternity wouldn't be proven with a bullet to the head or heart.

Or nearly getting blown sky high as in Kristina's case. It was bad enough that Sonny had broken his daughter's heart.

She pulled out her phone to call Molly and got her voicemail. She looked at her phone frowning but left a message for Molly to call her back. Not that she believed her daughter would do anything but ignore it.

Molly was probably busy working on her scrapbook project or maybe Carson or TJ had dropped by to keep her company. Still Ric leaving her in the suite alone while shacking up with Liz again…she knew Molly felt his absence even as she insisted he was her favorite parent.

She put her phone back in her purse and walked back to the pool table where Carlos and Dianne waited.

"You going to line up that shot? I'm getting impatient to see what Carlos takes off next."

Alexis hesitated in reaching for her cue stick. She felt a pang of sympathy for the man in front of her dressed in his boxers and some gold bling.

"Maybe I'll cut him a break."

Dianne widened her eyes.

"You? Alexis you've gone soft on me. Really you wouldn't do that with Coleman."

Alexis waved her hand.

"Coleman's different. He's a better pool player. It almost doesn't seem fair to enjoy such a huge advantage over Carlos here."

Carlos cleared his throat.

"Oh chica the game's just getting started and I'm finally warmed up."

Alexis chuckled.

"It's too late for you to play catch up especially since you're running quite an impressive record scratching."

He pursed his lips.

"All part of my master plan to win in the final round by luring both of you into a false sense of security."

Dianne flashed him some amusement.

"Likely story…well if you're going to go all shy on us, I guess we can call an intermission."

Carlos shook his head.

"Nothing shy about me…I'm merely thinking of you two because once I get my game in motion, I'm not taking any prisoners."

Alexis folded her arms.

"Oh this I'd like to see…"

Coleman walked up to them holding a tray of delicious chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven.

"Here, try some of these from a Scorpio family recipe. Mac's going to put them on the menu for a test run next week but since you're such faithful customers you'll get to try them first."

All three of them picked up a cookie oozing with chocolate, sampling them. Alexis' eyes widened, damn these were delicious, she could enjoy every ingredient, and yet there was some extra flavor she couldn't quite identify. Mac was one hell of a baker on top of being a great cook.

"Coleman these are absolutely fantastic."

The other two nodded. Coleman smiled.

"I'm sworn into secrecy by Mac on the ingredient list," he said, "He'd kill me if I told you."

Dianne licked her lips.

"I think there's some chili pepper in here," she said, "and something else…"

Coleman nodded.

"Yep…"

He left them and Dianne picking up another cookie headed to the juke box machine. She plugged in some money and Billy Idol's voice soon filled the room.

"I'm ready to do some dancing…"

Alexis and Carlos looked at each other and then back at Dianne. Alexis reached on the table for Carlos' pants and tossed them to him.

"Here you'd better put these on first…."

* * *

><p>Molly lay on the couch hugging her stuffed panda that her daddy had given her when she was born held tightly in her arms. Helena had just blown her world up with all these tales about the sins of her father.<p>

Breathing into the paper bag had stopped working.

She felt herself slipping into merciful catatonia over the revelations but fought it. She had to be strong for her father. When he surely returned to the suite after his night out with Liz, he would tell her that everything Helena had told her were lies.

Horrible lies designed to destroy the unbreakable bond between father and daughter. An evil plot to rip her daddy away from her after they'd been separated so long because of what her mother had done.

Yes her father would come back home and set the truth straight and restore her world again.

Helena looked down at Molly on the couch and shook her head.

The insipid daughter of Natasha's had proven to be such a lightweight against her. Obviously having inherited the similar qualities of Mikkos' favorite mistress. Not an ounce of active Cassadine genes in her twisted familial DNA. Not like Nikolas' son Spencer who though an overindulged spoiled brat harbored much more potential and as a rightful heir to the Cassadine dynasty simply needed the right kind of attention and instruction to mold into the proper image of a Cassadine prince.

"Molly dear this is really for the best. You'll like what comes next I promise…."

The young girl just stared mutely ahead while Helena reached for her cell phone, punching in a familiar number.

"The foundation has been laid, it's time to move onto the next step of our plan…"

* * *

><p>Julian left Ned at the mart and after grabbing several items, he headed to the cashier. He had no time for the prepster who kept telling him that he was the man for Alexis and not a two bit mobster. Ned had also tried to blast into him for taking advantage of Olivia, as if she hadn't been just as drunk and lost as he'd been that night.<p>

Now several months later he had another life coming with his DNA stamped on it to be concerned about…and since he hadn't gotten the chance to help raise either Sam or Lucas he'd take this chance to do the job right. Rewrite the history of his parenting of his children so his lack of involvement in the earlier lives of his other children wouldn't haunt him.

He paid for his items and left the mart to head back to his car. Pulling out his cell phone, he called Carlos. This time his associate answered.

"Yo boss how's it hanging? I told you I'd handle the situation in the morning…dude you need to chill and go out and have a good time."

Julian frowned.

"Carlos are you still at the Floating Rib?"

He heard some commotion in the background, loud music playing and laughter.

"Sure am boss. Having one hell of a party with a pair of hot sexy women. I lost my shirt but at least I got to keep my pants."

Julian realized that most likely, Carlos had been hitting the tequila again and would be useless to him tonight. He'd most likely be hung over and surly company in the morning.

"You sure you're up to working tomorrow?"

"No problemo boss. This place closes in a couple hours and I'll part reluctantly from my company after seeing them safely in their taxi and head back to sleep it off."

"Good…I need you sharp and on your best game tomorrow."

A sigh on the other end.

"Will do…boss. You hanging out with the old lady?"

Julian grimaced.

"No…she's with her son and grandson…and she's not my old lady."

Carlos chuckled.

"Hey dude I'm not putting myself in your personal business. You got a woman knocked off who you don't even like because you didn't slap one on and now you have to deal with her the rest of your life."

Julian sighed, wanting to click off the phone.

"Okay Carlos but like I said I'm going to need you ready to work tomorrow so you need to cut out of this party and get plenty of sleep."

"You need to straighten out your mess of a life and figure out why you allowed the best thing you got in your life slip away…"

Julian sighed.

"It's complicated…"

"Not really boss…have a good night…I'm spending mine with really great company…Peace out."

Julian stared at this phone, irritated before putting it away. His car awaited him and he felt restless.

Nothing hopefully a spin behind the wheel wouldn't fix.

* * *

><p>Alexis danced and enjoyed herself. She loved that none of the music selected carefully by Dianne no doubt had anything to do with true love, lost love, rejected love, futile love and equating youth with being sexy.<p>

She had a couple more of the decadent cookies and found herself relaxing and surrendering to the beat of the music. The tables beckoned but Alexis knew from experience that a couple of them wobbled and nearly toppled over when danced on.

Dianne had grabbed hold of Carlos and they were doing some wicked moves. She envied Dianne's free spirited attitude, her belief that she was the sexiest women in PC on top of her other great qualities.

Alexis thought about coaxing Coleman out from behind the bar to join in moving to the tune of a Pretenders song.

She didn't see Jax walk in at first until he had approached from behind her.

"Hey what's going on here?"

His voice startled her and she turned around to face him. Damn he was always a sight for sore eyes. She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Jax is it really you?"

He nodded, a bit perplexed.

"Yeah it's me. I'm here because my daughter's been hospitalized."

Alexis frowned.

"Yeah I heard. I'm so sorry Jax. But if anyone can figure out what's going on with her, it's Kevin. He really is the best at unlocking people's secrets."

Jax nodded again.

"I hope so. I can't believe how much she's changed since the last time I saw her."

She stroked his cheek, as he'd done many times for her when she was troubled by a crisis.

"It's going to be okay Jax and if you need anything, just tell me…"

She embraced him tightly, holding onto him, she felt much better and safer in his arms than she had with almost all of her lovers.

After releasing him, she smiled at him holding onto his hands. He smiled back at her.

"It's good to see my favorite ex-wife even under the circumstances."

Carlos and Dianne walked up to the two of them. Carlos arched his brows at Alexis.

"Ex-husband, you two were married?"

She nodded.

"We got married and then we got amicably divorced. He's still my closest friend."

Jax nodded, then appraised the other man carefully.

"And who are you?"

Alexis put a hand on Carlos' arm.

"This is Carlos Rivera and we were shooting a game of pool together."

Jax arched a brow at Carlos' attire or lack of it.

"I can see that…Alexis here is quite the pool shark. I can see you hadn't heard about her formidable reputation or believed it."

Carlos looked sheepish.

"I…underestimated her talents…"

Jax narrowed his brows, after folding his arms.

"So Carlos Rivera, you're obviously tied up in the local mob scene somehow but probably not for Sonny so you must work with Julian Jerome."

Alexis grimaced.

"I'd rather not hear that name tonight. I was having fun."

Jax shot her an apologetic look then resumed his focus on Carlos who nodded.

"I do work with him. He's almost like a brother to me."

Jax shook his head.

"Your 'brother' broke my friend's heart here and even if I don't feel as if he's good enough for her I don't like seeing her hurt."

Alexis put a hand on Jax's chest.

"Carlos has nothing to do with what happened between Julian and me. He's my friend…even if he plays a lousy game of pool."

Carlos smiled.

"Like I said, he's like a brother to me even when he's not right in the head."

Jax furrowed his brow.

"Okay…but Alexis you're in no condition to drive obviously so I'll take you back to your place."

Alexis shook her head.

"I'm having a good time here. Feel free to join us. You should really try one of Coleman's chocolate chip cookies. They're delicious."

Jax looked at Coleman skeptically.

"I'll bet…okay I'll stay here until you're ready to head home because you're not driving, understanding that?"

She nodded. She knew Jax was only looking out for her just like she would for him in similar circumstances. They'd always been the best of friends and both of them were too smart to complicate that by falling into bed together…not that she hadn't been tempted. She was a woman after all and Jax…well he definitely belonged in the category of men with killer abs.

And he couldn't ever break her heart.

Carlos spoke up.

"So you're a Jacks. You got a brother named Jerry by any chance?"

Jax nodded.

"Yes I do not that we're on speaking terms. I already know that he's kept some interesting company lately including with your associate."

Alexis sighed.

"I'd rather not even think about that right now. Jerry, Faison, Lord Ashton and for all I probably know, Helena Cassadine as well."

Jax frowned.

"Your associate sure knows how to pick his choice of business partners."

Carlos shrugged.

"I stay out of that side of it. I'm just a two-bit mobster enforcer. I leave the strategic planning to the experts."

Jax shook his head.

I think I'd sense if my no good brother were lurking about here. I don't know about the others except Helena…"

Alexis smirked.

"Oh come on Jax. You know she's always had a crush on you. She wanted to add her to her collection of adoring boy toys."

"Yeah but she's tried too hard to harm the people I care about…including you…"

She smiled softly at him.

"I'll be just fine. I've always looked out for myself and my family. Besides Helena I'm sure has other…projects keeping her busy."

Carlos interjected.

"Helena Cassadine? I've heard about her but not from Julian."

Alexis sighed.

"Thank goodness for small favors…but his involvement with Faison has hurt our daughter in ways that just can't be repaired. The man took Sam's husband away from her."

Jax shook his head.

"But I read online that Faison escaped again."

Alexis nodded.

"He's missing still… but Anna's out looking for him…and Jerry's teamed up with him and Lord Ashton who's also missing."

Dianne shrugged.

"I haven't heard from any of these characters wanting legal representation and they'd call me first."

Alexis snickered.

"You can have them. Jax I know you're concerned but really, I am more than capable of keeping my family safe…from anyone trying to hurt them. There hasn't been anyone else to do that but me. God knows their fathers aren't up to the task…and it doesn't help if they're associating with them."

Jax countered.

"Alexis…you have me to help you…especially if it's my brother who's responsible."

She smiled and grabbed his arm briefly.

"I know and I appreciate that. You never made me feel as if my toxic family and the dangerous men I have a propensity to attract were never a burden for you…Other men didn't view it the same way."

Carlos frowned.

"I'll help you too Alexis…"

She looked at him for a moment. She really liked Carlos and it wasn't just her broken heart and the liquor talking nor the fact that he'd been an easy mark in her long perfected con.

"Look these characters work with Julian. Helping you would put you in a compromising and potentially dangerous position."

He shook his head.

"I don't care…I couldn't be there for Sabrina when she needed me. I was locked up when her baby was murdered as part of something that had nothing to do with her…and now that she's gone crazy with grief….I'd like to help."

She hesitated knowing that a certain mobster kingpin wouldn't like it before nodding.

"Okay…but this is really about nothing. I'm sure everything's just fine…but thank you for offering."

Jax cast Carlos a skeptical look.

"As long as you don't become a problem…because your associate is tied in heavily with these people."

Alexis knew that, she hadn't wanted to believe it. First the revelation about Jerry, then Faison being the boss and then suspicion about Helena's role at all. Even after Julian had been standing next to her when Helena had casually issued an indirect threat against her girls.

She wanted to believe so much better than that…even if they couldn't be together. She just knew she couldn't trust him.

And he might be the one she'd have to fight against to keep her family safe.


	7. Chapter 7

Nathan and Dante, guns drawn raced into the Floating Rib looking around them wildly. Dianne flashed them an amused grin.

"You seem excited to see us…"

Both men put their guns back in their holsters. Dante cleared his throat.

"We got a 911 call that this establishment had turned into a den of drunken debauchery and alleged illegal behavior."

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"That must be my ex-husband. He was just in here with Liz and that's the kind of stunt he would to do try to generate trouble where there's none."

Nathan looked puzzled.

"We heard that there was a wild party going down here and a man running around with only his skivvies."

Dianne smiled widely.

"Do you see any such man in any such state of clothing…and by the way I think that's a damn shame but as you can see, this…complainant exaggerated the facts."

Nathan nodded.

"It appears so….since the gentleman here has his pants on."

Dianne nodded.

"As you can see in Exhibit A here, Carlos Rivera is not indecently exposed so said reporting party did not get his facts straight."

Carlos nodded, pleased with that defense.

"I swear on a stack of bar menus that this has been my attire the entire evening."

Nathan and Dante looked at each other. Dante sighed.

"I guess we got a false report," he said, "Mr. Jacks I didn't know you were back in town."

Jax nodded.

"My daughter is at GH in the psych ward undergoing diagnosis and treatment," he said, "I flew here as soon as I heard."

Dante frowned.

"I'm sorry to hear that…now that my partner and I know that any tales of drunken orgies going on here are just rumor we'll be on our way."

Dianne gestured to the platter of chocolate chip cookies.

"Take one before you leave. They are very delicious….you won't be sorry."

Alexis wasn't so sure about that because she detected something in those cookies she couldn't quite...identify. Both detectives took one cookie, biting into them proclaiming delicious indeed. Then Nathan picked up a stack of them to take with him.

After they left, Dianne turned to the others.

"All right Jax, do you want to shoot a game of pool?"

He smiled putting up his hand.

"No thanks. I'm just here to make sure Alexis makes it safely home…whenever you're ready Alexis…"

She smiled at him.

"Thanks…but I'm fine really. I'm having a good time tonight with my friends here."

Jax nodded.

"Okay I'll wait. There's no way you're going home alone Alexis. I'll wait until you're ready to leave."

She put one hand on a hip.

"That might not be for a while. I'm having a great time here with my friends."

He smiled.

"I know Alexis but you can't stay out here all night. Besides I need to catch up with you. It's been so long since we've really talked.

She conceded.

"We can discuss that over breakfast tomorrow…at Kelly's. I don't want to think about it tonight. That's the point of this outing is to forget about it for a while…"

Jax nodded.

"Very well Alexis but we will discuss it tomorrow. I don't want you to hide anything from me. I just want to listen."

She stroked one of his arms.

"I like that about you. You are willing to listen and not judge. Let me say everything I have to say and not through a 'but' in there...like the rest of my exes."

Carlos folded his arms.

"This guy harmless so we can get back to the game…I'm really getting warmed up."

Jax stepped in between them.

"There will be no 'getting warmed up', this is my ex-wife…my best friend you're talking about here."

Carlos snickered.

"I'm sure Alexis is a grown woman who can decide for herself without you telling her what to do."

Jax didn't budge.

"I know that she's been through a lot in the past month no thanks to your boss. So your intentions had better be honorable…"

Alexis sighed.

"Carlos…Jax back to your corners. I can take care of myself. No man no matter how good his intentions is going to do that for me…"

Dianne nodded.

"Jax, you're not a lot of fun tonight. You used to be much more in the past before you took on such a moralistic attitude."

Jax just looked at her.

"I'm not going to see Alexis get hurt…by anyone. Certainly not by this lowlife here."

Carlos rolled his eyes.

"I'm not some lowlife. I'm just a man who's had his heart broken in this game called love. My Sabrina she is now in the loony bin because of what happened to her baby…"

Alexis nodded.

"See he's been hurt by this whole myth of true love too," she said, "We're just trying to help each other."

Jax softened.

"Alexis…I don't think that's what he's doing at all…"

Molly lay almost catatonic on the couch, her whole world suddenly askew. The tales that Helena had told her about her father…they couldn't possibly be true and yet…the woman had sounded very sincere when she relayed the history of her daddy when he'd last been in PC.

She'd wanted to stick her fingers in her ears and sing la la la but yet….no it couldn't be true. Her father truly loved her and she adored him. He'd written her that beautiful letter and had allowed her into his home to stay.

Yet now she had learned that he'd tossed her own mother in the same jail cell he'd been tossed, when she'd been very sick. Molly had no memory of those years because she'd just been a baby after all and unable to create lasting memories.

But the part about her father taking him from her mother…well he'd done that because he loved her right?

Helena walked by the couch looking down on her.

"I know that what I told you didn't make you happy but you needed to know the truth about your father. It's really not all his fault. Your mother attracts the most unsuitable men. But then again she's not worthy of anything better…"

"But…but…but…"

Helena shook her head.

"Not that your father's any better. You do know why he's not coming home tonight? Because he's right now with that insipid twit Liz. You see, she can give him things that are much more gratifying to him and his ilk than what a child can give."

Molly wanted to cover her ears. She wanted this woman to go away and leave her alone. Then she realized that she would be truly alone.

Helena's tone changed.

"Get up child…we've got places to go and you will be away from this environment into something much better, more invigorating…"

Molly felt confusion fill her. Did Helena just tell her she was going to leave the suite with her? Why on earth would she do that? No, she'd stay here and wait for daddy who was surely coming home any minute….

"I can't leave. Any minute Daddy will be here and…"

Helena cut her off.

"No, right now your father's with Liz and he's got no time for you. I don't think he'll even notice you're missing at least not at first…especially since you'll be leaving a note."

Molly shook her head.

"I won't leave…I know my father's going to be back in any minute. He'll see you and force you to leave at once."

Helena chuckled.

"How much do you want to bet you insipid little girl? I don't think even your e-book sales could cover that bet."

Molly's lip quivered.

"But I don't want to go…I just wanted to live with my father because my mother is so unreasonable…and not nice to him."

Helena pursed her lips.

"You'll like where we're going," she said, "I'll help you write the note while we wait for my partner."

"Partner?"

Helena nodded, with a smile.

"They will be here in a moment…and don't worry it's someone you've already met…though you probably don't remember…"

Julian drove through the darkened PC streets. Every so often the soft halo of one of the few working street lights would penetrate the night. He knew the way by heart as he had even before returning to his familiar haunt a year ago.

Carlos had left him another text not to pester him about the job tomorrow. He'd be there bright eyed and bushy tailed right on time to get it done. He seemed to be having a good time at the Floating Rib..

Olivia had gone back to the carriage house at the Q mansion where she was staying after dropping by his place to remind him that it was not her choice that she'd gotten pregnant with his kid and that he shouldn't have been too drunk to slap on some latex.

If he had it to do all over…yet history couldn't be rewritten and now that a child of his own flesh would be born soon, he'd have a chance to be a father to him or her even if Olivia didn't want him there. As for Alexis, she'd told him she'd give him space to figure out how he planned to handle the situation.

He heard a siren behind him and saw flashing lights. Damn, he looked at his speedometer. He hadn't been exceeding the limit. Most likely the police ran his plates and they'd come up with his name attached to a huge file on him at the PCPD. Pulling over by the side of the road he waited for the officer to come to his window.

Instead Dante and Nathan walked up to the window. Irritated, he looked at them, his hands still on the steering wheel.

"It's you two…did you pull me over due to some violation or just to talk to me?"

Dante and Nathan glanced at each other. Nathan shrugged.

"You talk to him, I think I'm going to have another one of those delicious cookies."

Julian frowned, thinking that Nathan looked more animated than usual. Dante turned his focus back on the mobster.

"We got some intelligence that Helena Cassadine might be back in town…meeting with an unknown person."

Julian arched his brows.

"And you think I know who that person might be?"

Dante nodded.

"We suspect it might be Cesar Faison. He might be resurfacing."

Julian sighed.

"You think I might know if that's true or not. I don't have any contact with him despite what the PCPD might believe."

Dante looked skeptical

"You've had numerous dealings with him the past. So why should we believe you?"

Nathan nodded, munching on another cookie.

"Yeah why should we? Damn these are good…you really should try one Dante."

"I'll take your word for it…now Mr. Jerome are you sure you don't know anything about Helena and any possible meeting with Faison?"

"I'm sure…and if you want to ask me more questions, you'll have to do so through my attorney."

Dante shook his head.

"You're still a person of interest…as long as you continue in engaging in criminal activities. Mr. Jerome."

Julian smirked.

"I'm not going to wind up in Paytonville with your father. There's no proof that I was involved in any such activities."

Dante frowned.

"Not yet…but after you took advantage of my mother…."

Julian's mouth firmed into a straight line.

"I didn't take advantage of anyone…it just happened. Look I'm trying to make the best of the situation and I have every intention of being involved in my child's life."

Dante didn't look pacified.

"That's not up to you. That's up to her and I'll back any decision that she makes."

Julian sighed.

"Even if it isn't the one you want?"

Dante paused and Nathan walked up to him holding yet another cookie and raving over it. Something didn't seem normal about the situation to Julian but he just wanted to drive away from it.

"Can I go now?"

Dante paused and nodded.

"Yeah we're done…for now…but if we have more questions…"

Julian sighed again.

"You'll know where to find me…got it…."

Dante turned to leave and then stopped.

"Your enforcer…I mean employee is at the Floating Rib. We got an earlier call that there was some…indecent behavior going on there but it didn't pan out. Still, we'll be keeping an eye on him too."

Julian shook his head.

"You'll be too busy trying to figure out why Helena's back in town," he said, "That should be your priority. Last time I saw her, she made some thinly veiled threats against Alexis' daughters including Sam."

Dante blinked his eyes.

"I didn't know that. Well, the PCPD is dedicated to protecting and serving all of PC's citizens."

Julian felt like rolling his eyes but just wanted to head out of here.

"Yeah so I heard…but you try to find her or I will do that."

He put his car into gear and drove away leaving the two detectives in his wake.

Alexis turned to Carlos and Dianne.

"So what'll we do next? The night is still young…"

Carlos flashed a grin.

"We could do more table dancing…and then head off somewhere else for a more private party."

Dianne smiled.

"I'm game, what about you Alexis?"

She paused then glanced at Jax, standing there with worry lines on his face. She shrugged.

"Maybe another night…it's not every night that my favorite ex and best friend forever is in town. I'll take a rain check?"

Carlos looked disappointed.

"I thought we hit it off. I mean you had me down to my boxers."

Jax arched an eyebrow at Alexis but she ignored him.

"I know but we can exchange numbers and maybe get together sometime," she said, "I do really like you and I had a lot of fun tonight…more fun than I've had…well in a while."

He smiled again, his eyes warm.

"Okay we'll do that. I'd love to take you out sometime. We could do dinner at the new Cuban restaurant that just opened."

She nodded.

"I'd like that. I'll call you tomorrow…"

He walked over and grabbing her waist gently pulled her closer to kiss her cheek.

"I'll be waiting to hear from you…"

She nodded and watched him join Dianne back at the Tequila bottle table. She then looked at Jax.

"I'm ready to go now…I tried calling Molly earlier but she's not answering the phone so she must be busy doing her scrap album."

Jax smiled.

"I'm sure she's fine…"

She scowled.

"Ric's leaving her alone tonight like he does more often than not so he can spend time with Liz.

He smoothed her hair off of her forehead.

"It's okay…I'll take you home and make sure you're alright…we can talk there if you'd like. I've got no place to be until tomorrow morning when I have to get the latest news on Joss's mental condition."

She grimaced.

"I'm sorry you have to deal with that. But I'm sure she'll be real happy to see you."

He sighed, his eyes wistful.

"They had to sedate her. This obsession she has about being an ear of corn has grabbed a hold of her. I don't know how to break it."

"You'll find a way. I know you will…"

He sighed.

"That and I heard a rumor that my brother Jerry might be heading this way…he's put in with a dangerous crowd and I don't know what he's got planned next."

She shivered at the mention of the name then forced a smile on her face.

"I'm sure he's nowhere near here. Let's head on back to my place…I've got some takeout in the frig that I can heat up for you…"

He smiled.

"I'm famished. I haven't eaten since I've arrived."

She linked her arm in his own.

"Let's go…we'll head back to my place and we'll feed you and we'll catch up."

They left the Floating Rib after saying goodbye to Coleman and Jax insisted on driving her back.

"I can get someone to drive your car back…you've had a bit to drink."

She didn't deny that as they reached his Porsche.

"I just wanted a night away from it all…to forget for a while the rest of the world…"

He unlocked the passenger side of his car and she climbed inside it, waiting for him to join her .


	8. Chapter 8

Alexis woke up the following morning in her bedroom, sunlight streaming in the window. She felt a weight next to her in bed and the light sound of a man snoring. Smiling she glanced over at her ex-husband sleeping next to her.

Not the odious poor excuse for a cheating, lying, scummy mama's boy she'd been married to last but the special, kind, handsome and okay, sexy man she'd married first as part of some convoluted business scheme she no longer remembered the reasons behind.

Small matter as she thought back to last night. They'd reached her place after he'd driven her home. He'd made them both some chamomile tea and they'd sat in the living room for a while, just relaxing on the couch. He'd told her stories about his newest investment on his ranch outside of Sydney which was ostriches. Joss had been alongside him when he'd driven out to a dealer in the exotic birds to check them out. He'd bought several mating pairs and Joss on the way home, had come up with names for them all.

Innocuous names like Malachi, Isaac, Sarah and Rachel. He thought she'd learned about them from the Bible in Sunday School.

That didn't turn out to be the case at all.

Looking back it had been a vital warning sign leading to her downward spiral. Alexis had held his hand while she explained that these names belonged to characters in a film called _Children of the Corn._

Jax sighed at the news.

"I should have known. I bought her the DVD for that movie and she watched it over and over sometimes for hours."

The morning after, thinking back he'd been quite upset about feeling as if his only child were slipping through his fingers. His frustration with Carly being missing in action due to her prison visits to Sonny.

His meeting in the morning with Kevin at GH. Alexis listened to him, remembering her own travails with her girls. Kristina's beatings by Keifer and Molly's PTSD among other traumatic situations.

When he asked her about Julian and Ned, the situation with Olivia. She didn't have much to say about it. Just that Julian wanted to do the right thing and be there for his child regardless of the circumstances. Her caseload at her new firm kept her busy enough.

She got up and after getting ready for work, she burned some toast and broiled coffee in the kitchen.

Jax showed up in the kitchen.

"Good morning…so should we stop by Kelly's for breakfast? My treat…"

Alexis looked at the wreckage in her kitchen and shrugged.

"All right…I got to be in court for a Brady hearing in a couple of hours…"

He smiled.

"I've got to head to GH…so it sounds perfect…."

* * *

><p>Ric woke up at Liz's house with his little angel of redemption snoring alongside him. Her porcelain delicacy and patient manner had done wonders with his latest reinvention of himself as a better man.<p>

He thought about calling and checking on Molly back at his suite but figured she'd be ordering room service for breakfast before heading off to school. She'd be fine on her alone and besides, Liz would be up soon and would want him to carpool Cameron and…that other son of hers off to school. After that, he'd drop off the signed adoption papers for Cameron off at the courts.

What an awesome human being he'd turned out to be, an amazing father to Molly and boyfriend to his Liz, the love of his life. Unlike his ex-wife Alexis who'd been out partying at the Floating Rib with that Carlos Rivera character and the shifty lawyer, Dianne Miller.

Really at least Molly had one parent who took care of her, who had raised her despite incredible odds thanks to the technology of Skype. Ric considered himself a poorly understood individual who'd been unjustly punished including being framed and if it had been easy for the residents of PC to buy into allegations of him being a crime boss, then shame on them.

After all, although he'd hung around and worked with mobsters in the past, it'd been harmless. His involvement with them greatly exaggerated. Besides since the last time he'd been in PC he'd changed, he'd really changed and now he was a whole different person.

Liz stirred and he looked at her opening her eyes and looking at him with pure adoration.

"Oh Ric…you're up already. I've got to get up and make some breakfast for Cam…and…and…"

Her voice fell off and he smiled at her.

"I'll help…before I head off to the court to file those papers."

Her smile widened.

"I'd go with you but Dr. O is being such a meanie and making me work triple shifts today. I've got to be on her good side or I'll be out of work again."

Ric frowned.

"You don't have to work you know…I can make enough to provide for you…Cameron and…"

She interrupted.

"What about Molly?"

He pursed his lips.

"Molly's fine…she can order her own breakfast and head off to school on the bus. I'd check on her but I'm sure she's busy getting ready to head on out."

Liz nodded.

"She's a smart, resourceful young girl. She's so lucky to have someone in her life like you."

He nodded.

"I know…it's so great that my daughter has a positive influence in her life since her mother sees fit to hang out with seedy gangster bosses like Julian Jerome. God, she really did shop discount after I had to divorce her after she begged me not to years ago."

"I know…but Molly and you are reunited and she's living with you and you're being the daddy she's always needed…"

Ric smiled.

"Yes I am…and I'll make sure she knows that at least one of her parents is looking out for her."

* * *

><p>Julian hit the art gallery to check in on the shipment of paintings that had arrived from Amsterdam the previous night. Anna and a team of her best police officers had impounded the freighter and boarded it to do an inspection. Looking for illegal contraband including drugs no doubt but they'd found nothing. '<p>

He sat at his desk and tried not to remember that sweet afternoon in April when he and Alexis…no he couldn't think about that time or let it distract him right now. He had some shipments coming in later in the day that weren't so legal…certainly not compared with that Picasso painting that would be sent from Seville from someone's private collection.

Carlos waltzed in looking squirrely. Julian knew from his litany of texts that he'd spent a lively night at the Floating Rib the previous night. But Carlos looked as sharp as he always did when delivering on a job assigned to him by Julian.

"Hey boss…here's what I promised you."

Julian frowned.

"You're early…I didn't expect you until later."

Carlos shrugged.

"I got up early and thought I'd get this out of the way so I can check on the Picasso shipment before taking my lady out to this new Cuban restaurant that just opened…"

Julian arched his brows.

"Lady? I thought Sabrina was wrapped up in a straitjacket at Fern Cliff."

Carlos shook his head.

"My new lady…I asked her if she'd be open to the idea of dinner tonight and she said yes. She and I had a great time last night."

Julian looked down at his ledger, knowing that Carlos had tweeted him about meeting up with a pair of women at the bar.

"That's nice…as long as you get your work done here."

Carlos beamed.

"Oh I will…I'm picking up Alexis later tonight after she's done in court."

Julian shot his head up.

"Alexis? Alexis Davis?"

Carlos crowed.

"The one and only…we hit it off last night and I told her I'd wine and dine her at that Cuban place and she accepted. She's free, single and past 21 like me."

Julian grimaced.

"You can't be serious. You with a woman like Alexis?"

Carlos looked like he was enjoying himself.

"Why not? She and you are no longer an item. You made your choice to play daddy to one of Sonny's other baby mamas b/c you couldn't slap a rubber on…"

Julian shot him a warning look. Carlos didn't look apologetic in the least.

"Hey I'm just calling it as I see it and I enjoyed the time I spent with Alexis last night…before her ex-husband Jax Jacks showed up."

Julian sighed.

"I saw him earlier at the mart and he was looking for her. So he showed up?"

Carlos nodded.

"He tried to play the white knight with her by steering her out of there and back to her house but I'll have another chance with her tonight."

Julian clenched his fists beneath the desk. He didn't like the look on his enforcer's face when he spoke of Alexis.

"Carlos, you need to back away from her. She doesn't need someone like you in her life right now."

His associate shrugged.

"I think I'm exactly what she needs and more importantly what she wants boss. You made your choice. You sexed up and knocked up some ride and die mobster moll and now she's going to have your kid."

"I know but there's nothing between the two of us…except that we share a child."

Carlos shook his head.

"You clearly didn't tell Alexis that. She thinks that you picked Sonny's doormat of a moll over her and I'd say she's right…"

Julian felt irritation fill him. Carlos was trying to rile him up, that had to be it.

"You shouldn't be taking advantage of her…"'

Carlos burst out laughing.

"I'm not boss…she's an intelligent passionate woman who knows exactly what she wants and that's to have a good time."

Julian bristled and Carlos flashed him a look of amusement.

"Did you expect her to pine away for you like a high school girl while you tossed in your cards with another woman? Alexis isn't like that…she's vibrant, she's passionate. Why shouldn't I take advantage of that?"

Julian had no easy response. Carlos softened.

"Between me and you boss, I think she'd rather be with you…but you haven't shown her you're willing to fight for that. I get wanting to do right by your kid but Alexis deserves so much more…and unless you're man enough to be there for her…don't get upset if someone else steps in instead."

Julian sighed.

"You mean you, don't you?"

'"Better me than someone else, don't you think?"

Julian paused.

"It's not that simple."

Carlos chortled.

"It's exactly that. Either you want to be with someone or you don't…and Alexis and I, we could make it work so why not?"

Julian just sighed.

"I don't want her hurt."

"Boss you've already done that by your own actions. That's not my intention at all."

* * *

><p>Alexis and Jax breakfasted at Kelly's and then he headed to the hospital to meet with Kevin and the medical team about Joss and she headed to the courthouse where she ran into who else but Ric?<p>

Just the way she wanted to start her day off… He smirked at her.

"So you're in court when you should be with Molly…"

She shot a look back at him.

"Molly wanted space and I'm giving it to her. So…did you return to your suite to check in on her or did you spend another night at Liz's?"

Ric's smirk diminished.

"That's none of your business. I'm taking good care of my daughter. She's much better off with her father than she was ever with you."

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"Ric, this isn't a contest. I raised Molly pretty much on my own while you were off playing in L.A. and skyping to her when fancy moved you…right?"

He sighed dramatically.

"There you go, downplaying my commitment to Molly. We both know that it's your meanness and selfishness that kept me from my daughter."

She sighed.

"No….you just weren't interested enough and so you blame it on me when the fact is that you chose not to be a part of her life…until recently."

He snorted.

"I'm the main parent in her life now. She's living with me not with you."

She put one hand on her hip looking at him.

"I know and I also know she spent last night by herself as she's spent most of her nights alone while you're chasing Liz again because she gives you bragging rights to your image of redemption when you've done anything but… I know you're tied with some shady characters."

He shook his head vehemently.

"You know nothing Alexis. You're the one that's tied to criminals like Julian Jerome and I'm the one who's giving Molly respite from his evil influence."

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"I'm not with him now and I want to know how much time you've spent with our daughter when you haven't been chasing Liz and trying to make her son Cameron your own…how much time Ric?"

He didn't answer. He just snorted again, his eyes aimed at the ceiling.

"I spent time with her yesterday…before going out with Liz…and I'll check in on her later today. I'm sure she's fine. She's probably at school right now."

"I hope so…if you're going to have her live with you, you need to spend more time with her."

Ric threw up his arms dramatically. Alexis watched him remembering when years ago, she succumbed to his histrionics about how inadequate she was as a woman and how incredibly awesome he was as a man to put up with her neurosis. But that was in the dark ages and now she was immune to his dramatics.

"Alexis how can you say that about me? She doesn't even want to spend time with you…"

She geared herself not to cave under his comments.

"If that's the case, then why aren't you spending more time with her to help her through this? She spent the night by herself in your suite, while you were out with Liz…again."

Ric rolled his eyes.

"She's gone to school. She'll return home this afternoon. Nothing's changed. She's got some real stability in her life now."

Suddenly Alexis didn't' feel so sure about that. Her skin prickled at the nape of her neck. She knew she just wanted to check on Molly and make sure she was all right.

She decided to do that no matter what Ric said otherwise.


	9. Chapter 9

Alexis tried calling Molly on her cell but of course it went straight to voice mail. She knew her youngest was upset with her. She looked at her phone and put it back in her purse to try again later.

During moments like these, she wanted to slap her ex. She wanted to lay into him more for the way he constantly chose his beloved Liz and even her son over his own daughter. But…she'd been so damn careful to protect her youngest from her own father. She knew that if Molly knew half of what her beloved father had done…it might damage her. Alexis knew she couldn't let that happen. She couldn't destroy her daughter that way nor could she allow her to be destroyed…even though sometimes she was sorely tempted to tell Molly what Ric had done to her…to Sam. She just couldn't…not when Molly had only scraps tossed out by her daddy to hold onto to try to convince herself she had a father who loved her unconditionally.

Molly must be at school already. Alexis knew that her daughter wouldn't be eager to answer her phone calls or texts even to let her know she still breathed. The chasm between the two of them had only widened and her breaking up with Julian hadn't changed that.

Damn Ric for continuing to play the role of the wronged party, the innocent fall guy when he'd spent so little of their life together actually being innocent.

Her phone vibrated and she noticed she had a text from Carlos asking her if she wanted to meet him for dinner at the new Cuban restaurant. She bit her lip wondering how to respond. She did like him a lot. Last night had been great for her in all kinds of ways but…was she ready to put herself out again? She furrowed her brow in contemplation and then decided that okay, she might not be ready for a relationship but they could dine out as good friends. She sent him a text back stating, okay she'd join him but for him to have no expectations.

He quickly tweeted back that he looked forward to seeing her tonight. She smiled putting her phone away. Carlos had made her feel all kinds of positive feelings, being clearly attracted to her but seeming to care about her as well. Good for her right now, since she was still missing Julian who had his own issues to deal with…namely having a woman knocked up with his child.

She blinked her eyes. That was his crisis not hers. She had to pick up the pieces of her own life and move forward.

* * *

><p>Julian glanced up at Carlos who seemed preoccupied with his phone. He'd been trying to explain to his enforcer how important this latest shipment was but he sensed he only had half of his attention. Carlos would listen dutifully before focusing on his cell phone. He arched a brow.<p>

"Didn't you hear one word I just said?"

Carlos flashed a cocky grin.

"Sorry boss but Alexis…she's got me distracted. I'll try to pay more attention. So what were you saying?"

Julian sighed. His associate's plans to date Alexis irked him but he almost felt as if Carlos were rubbing that development in his face. But now to business…

"Like I told you I ran into Dante and Nathan last night. They had questions about Faison…and the fact that he resurfaced."

Carlos shrugged.

"That's hardly news is it boss? He always had a habit of doing that and messing everything up. The man's loco…always been that way."

"He's still powerful and tied to even more powerful players who may or may not be even crazier."

Carlos nodded.

"You mean that fancy broad Helena Cassadine don't you? The one who Luke supposedly shot point blank last year…turns out she's not as dead as people thought. But then she's never been easy to kill."

Julian couldn't argue with that and after the run in he and Alexis had with her while rescuing who they thought was Luke…he didn't like the way she'd threatened her and her daughters. But she hadn't resurfaced since.

"Yeah…her but she's not been seen in several months."

Carlos pursed his lips.

"That just means she's good at hiding…laying low when the heat's been hunting down people around her like Faison. I'm keeping my eye out for her now that I know she's threatened Alexis and her daughters."

Julian sighed.

"I'm not going to let Helena hurt any of them. Even if Alexis doesn't like it…I'm still not going to let her target any one of them…"

Carlos chuckled.

"As if Alexis is going to let you help her now that you've cast your lot with Pasta Mama…no boss I can help keep Alexis safe while you…I don't know go to Lamaze classes with your latest baby mama."

Julian didn't correct him.

"I'll deal with Helena myself if it comes to that."

Carlos chuckled again.

"I don't think Alexis will appreciate that. She's always done whatever is necessary to protect her family. She's not going to accept your help."

Julian sighed.

"So you're an expert on her?"

Carlos shrugged.

"Can't do any worse than you've done boss. After all you're not together are you?"

Julian couldn't respond to that.

* * *

><p>Alexis ran into Dianne at the small corner restaurant down the street from the courthouse. Her friend was dressed to the nines of course being at trial over some medical malpractice case at GH.<p>

Dianne gave her the onceover.

"You look chipper this morning. You up for more punishment and soul searching tonight?"

Alexis smiled.

"I'm going out with Carlos to that new Cuban restaurant."

Dianne nodded.

"He was a lot of fun last night wasn't he? What about Jax? Did he ever make it to the MC last night?"

Alexis shot her a look of reproach, annoyed at the tone of her voice. As if she and Jax were going to blow up their tight relationship as friendly exes by slipping between the sheets. As if her dearest friend had ever been the same after his marriage to man wrecker Carly.

"My new house has a nice guest room."

That part was true anyway. It just hadn't been used yet. Dianne pursed her lips.

"I'm sure…Alexis really you and Jax…you could do much worse than him. He's debonair and rugged, a corporate raider who was also a certain magazine's sexiest man alive last year…"

Alexis shook her head.

"I would never blow up what I have with Jax for some fling. He's not just my favorite ex-husband, my best friend, he's part of my family."

Dianne rolled her eyes.

"I still think that's all the more reason to make a play for him while he's in town before he whisks up his messed up kid and flies back to raise ostriches on that spread he bought."

Alexis couldn't deny she wasn't tempted. Still after she'd tried to use Ned to try to forget Julian and that had blown up in her face…no she would stick to her plan for 2015, to have fun and not get serious with anyone. Definitely not fall in love with another man, considering her growing list of train wrecks.

No as hot as she found Jax, he'd always stay on the list of her male platonic friends for life.

Carlos? She liked the time she spent with him enough so he might go on the other list…2015 was still young after all. She heard footsteps in the restaurant and her eyes widened as she saw her eldest daughter enter.

Sam's eyes looked serious. She glanced over at Dianne and then back at Alexis.

"Mom…the clerk told me I might find you here. I really need to talk to you…"

* * *

><p>Ric paced as Liz watched him with doe sized eyes. They were at the MC standing in the lobby.<p>

"The reporter just called me, do you know I'm winning the Brighton O'Reilly Courage award for that nightmare I experienced while kidnapped by those ruthless mobsters?"

Liz smiled at him.

"No one is more deserving than you are. You were so incredible the way you fought your way to freedom from Johnny and the Jeromes…a true inspiration to us all."

He smiled back at her.

"I want you there with me and Cameron of course…I don't know how many tickets to this banquet they'll give me. But I need you both there."

Her face wrinkled.

"What about Molly?"

He paused, then sighed.

"She's really not into this kind of thing. She'll probably want to go to the movies with Carson and we do plenty of things together…this is just…I want us to be a family Liz and as soon as Cameron's adoption papers go through…"

She beamed.

"It'll be very nice. Then you can move in with me and the boys. Molly too of course and we'll be a family together."

Ric puffed his chest out.

"I have really arrived. I have changed my life. I have you…Cameron and oh…Molly too. In a minute, I'll go up to the suite and she'll be so thrilled to see me…I'm the best daddy in the world and god, she needs one suitable parent since Alexis is a complete failure as a mother to her."

Liz bit her lip.

"I'm sure, she tries. She's very busy with…work and well…."

Ric shook his head.

"She ruthlessly kept me from my own daughter for years." He said, "Liz, I didn't want to be Skype Daddy. I just…I just had other priorities and well, she blocked me…"

Liz sighed.

"Ric don't fret about it. We'll build a family, we'll watch proudly while you received your much deserved honor and you can move in with me."

Liz watched his face closely when she said that. She knew given that she didn't have a basement in this house, there would be no secrets between them.

Ric smiled back at her, imagining this incredible idea he had for use of Liz's attic. Oh it'd be glorious and he and his redemptive angel, his Liz would live happily together forever.

* * *

><p>Julian wasn't in a good mood after Carlos left. In fact he was downright moody, even surly. What had gotten into him in recent months? Business was booming, even on the legitimate side of it.<p>

The less than legal side…that was working out too. He spent the afternoon in his office at the art gallery. A shipment of paintings by a new contemporary artist had arrived and were being listed on the internet site for auction next week. Several of them contained something that wouldn't be included in the price for their sale.

When it came to smuggling artwork you could do worse than some 2015 impressionist. At first he didn't hear the footsteps deep in cadence entering into the main area of the gallery.

A man stood in his doorway almost before he knew it. A distinguished looking man about his age with ebony hair accentuated with a shade of silver. Olive skinned and muscular in build, stretching out the fabric of his business attire. Julian thought mercenary when he first saw him, but something in his even darker eyes cut him off.

No, he almost looked like…

"Mr. Jerome I presume?"

Julian looked up and nodded. The man took that as an invitation to enter his office and make himself at home sitting in a chair on the opposite side of Julian's desk. Julian looked at him and then arched his brows.

"You seem to know me but who the hell are you?"

The man smiled.

"I'm Andreas Anosov, I am here to offer you a business deal you'd be foolish to refuse Mr. Jerome."

Julian felt wariness fill him, just at the sound of those words. After all the man in front of him was a complete stranger.

"I doubt that Mr….Anosov."

Andreas widened his smile.

"I assure you when you hear what I have to offer you and the inconsequential price I seek in return, you'll

Julian didn't feel certain about that at all. In fact the malevolence that he felt from the man nearly overwhelmed him. He stiffened his posture in his chair, his face unmoving.

"Like I just told you, I doubt that…"

The man's eyes hardened even as his smile widened yet.

"Okay then, we can do this the hard way…."


	10. Chapter 10

Alexis looked at Sam, noting the concerned look on her daughter's face.

"What do you need to tell me?"

Sam paused, her eyes darting around the restaurant. Dianne had wandered off to check out the hot new waiter, leaving them alone.

"Mom, have you talked with Molly lately?"

Alexis frowned.

"No…she's been avoiding my phone calls and she's living with Ric now at the MC. Why? Have you talked with her?"

Sam furrowed her brow, nodding slowly.

"I did a couple days ago. She wanted me to give her driving lessons since she got her permit."

Alexis knew that. Another sign that her youngest child was growing up right in front of her. Sometimes she didn't seem prepared to say goodbye to Molly next year before she left for a school preferably Ivy League though Molly had mentioned staying in PCU to be close to her boyfriend.

"I didn't know she'd gone to the DMV…I guess her father must have taken her."

Sam chewed her lower lip.

"I'm sure this is just a phases she's going through Mom. She'll remember which parent was truly there for her all of her life."

Alexis sighed.

"It's not that. I just miss her. And I just resent this rewriting of Ric's history into one where he's a saint…and I'm the sinner."

Sam shrugged.

"I get it. I don't like having to pretend to Molly that her father's not the man who tried to have me killed at the cemetery but if Molly ever knew the truth, what it'd do to her…"

Alexis nodded.

"It'd destroy her. Her whole world would be gone. I could never do that to her. I mean Ric has always tried to paint me as the bad, neglectful mother to score points with her…to make up for parenting by Skype but she still thinks he's the greatest father in the world."

Sam wanted to roll her eyes at the mention of Ric. She'd seethed underneath her skin when she'd been forced to make nice with that nasty slime ball but more importantly she didn't trust him. She knew that old habits die hard and that this routine of him being a redeemed father to Molly was just an act. But she had no proof, so she'd decided to keep an eye on him and his dealings in PC. So far there hadn't been much. He spent the typical five minutes with Molly each day and spent most of his time chasing Liz's tail around town.

Too bad Liz was deluded enough to believe that Ric had really changed and that her ethereal angelic routine had been an agent for that change.

She cleared her throat looking at her mother.

"I'll keep an eye on Molly. I'm supposed to meet her tonight at Kelly's to do sisters' night out. Though I thought she'd text me by now…"

Alexis frowned.

"I hadn't heard from here either but she's still in school. I know there's the SAT coming up again and Molly mentioned taking it again."

Sam sighed.

"Yeah mom…her scores kind of got messed up after you and Julian broke her and TJ up at the MC last year…"

Alexis felt her face flush remembering more of that evening before Rafe had arrived at the Lake House interrupting her and Julian while…anyway the two of them had stopped Molly and TJ just in time.

"She's had more time to study…with TJ keeping his distance so she'll spend more time studying…"

Sam chuckled.

"He's been good to her about her thinking about her future…Molly's got her whole life in front of her."

Alexis felt a pang of wistfulness, with her pride.

"I know…I just wish we were closer than we are right now…"

Sam touched her mother's arm.

"You know she really does love you…she's just going through being a teenager and Ric isn't making it any easier."

Alexis looked down at her hands.

"You don't believe Ric is really innocent do you?"

Sam paused a long moment, picking her words carefully, watching her mother's face.

"No I don't…I think he's working with Johnny Z. I mean how can that man control so much of the action in PC from behind bars?"

Alexis sighed.

"It is possible…that's what Sonny's doing."

"I know but Sonny's got help on the outside…loosely speaking anyway when you consider who his #2 and #3 are but still…for Johnny to be this successful, he's got to have a partner and who better than Ric?"

Alexis just looked at her daughter, reveling in how her mind worked. Qualities she'd inherited from her side of the family, with a dash of her father's side of course.

"I do remember that Ric defended Johnny on a murder charge…and he did show up in town out of nowhere. Molly had letters she sent to him returned to her and he did stop skyping during that whole water toxin mess. If he's fallen back with Johnny to go after Sonny, I'm going to break every bone in his miserable body."

She meant it as she said that, feeling the familiar iciness fill her, courtesy of her father's side of her family tree. Sam blinked her eyes.

"Mom…we can deal with this if it's true. It's better that Ric not suspect anything until we're absolutely sure…"

Alexis's eyes hardened.

"I'm not going to let him use my daughter as part of his cover to continue his insane vendetta against his brother. That's not going to happen…"

Sam shrugged.

"I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure if Ric is trying to trick everyone with this innocent fall guy act, he'll slip up and…hopefully in a way that won't involve her."

Alexis clenched her jaw.

"Okay…because if it does…I meant what I said…"

Sam didn't doubt her knowing her mother had the body count to prove it.

* * *

><p>Julian looked directly at Andreas who had just tried to threaten him. He didn't know the man, hadn't seen him before or heard his name anywhere. Yet he'd waltzed in his art gallery in an expensive tailored suit trying to lay the law down to him.<p>

He leaned forward towards the man.

"What do you mean by that?"

Andreas smiled.

"I mean that I have an offer and as you Americans say it one you can't resist Mr. Jerome. When you hear it…"'

Julian put his hand up.

"I'm not interested. I'm running an art gallery here…"

The man snickered.

"We both know that's not all you're running…I know your boss. I know that you run a lucrative trade in coke laced with heroin…that you've made quite a profit."

Julian bristled. It hadn't been his idea after all…and he'd tried to cut a deal with his boss to dump the drugs. After all that's what he'd promised Sam…no more kids would die as Rafe had from his product.

"You'll have to talk to him about what we're running…I don't handle that part of the business."

Andreas chuckled, his eyes hard as ice. Black ice, the kind that proved most deadly.

"I see…but I don't deal in drugs at all…. I deal in other…product. One that's brought me an incredible wealth. One that isn't sold only once but many, many times…"

Julian narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not interested…in that product. I'm not Sonny Corinthoes. He dealt in that business for many years."

Andreas shook his head.

"He's in Pentonville making enemies there with his sob stories about how he's a poor misunderstood coffee importer."

Julian figured as much. Since his return to PC, he'd dealt with this pervasive image of Sonny being the kinder, more benevolent mobster, defender of his family and small animals.

"You could be joining him soon if you don't agree to my business proposition…"

Julian arched his brows.

"Which is…"

"You help me with a shipment of…product passing through PC on its way overseas and you'll get a generous cut of the action…you and your boss."

Julian folded his arms.

"I'm not sure I…or my boss is interested in your line of business Mr. Anosov so you'd better shop it elsewhere. You can try Duke Lavery or Shawn Butler who are Sonny's point people while he's at Pentonville.."

Andreas shook his head.

"No I'm bringing this deal to you Mr. Jerome. I'm in town on other business here including to reacquaint myself with certain past…associates but I'm interested in doing business with you. "

Julian didn't want anything to do with the man in front of him. He didn't know where the interests and loyalties of his boss lay but there was no way he'd get involved in Andreas' line of business.

Trafficking drugs was bad enough. But what Andreas did…no he was definitely not interested.

"I'm not going to do business with you but you can feel free to sell the same pitch to my boss…"

Andreas smiled widely, his eyes calculated.

"Oh I will Mr. Jerome and like I told you, I have several people to reconnect her with first…"

Julian watched as the man turned around and left his gallery carrying some of his malice with him.

* * *

><p>Jax smiled at Alexis as she approached him in the hospital corridor. The business of GH bustled around him but she wrapped his arms around him and he felt better. She still held onto him looking at him closely.<p>

"You okay? How are things going with Joss? What did Kevin say?"

Jax' face wore the stress of the day he'd spent trying to find out answers on his troubled daughter. Carly had still been MIA out at Pentonville no doubt visiting Sonny.

"I don't know Alexis. She's still under sedation and Kevin and his team of doctors aren't sure what's wrong with my daughter. They're doing another MRI tomorrow."

She smiled at him, caressing his stubbly face.

"Kevin's the best and he'll find out what's going on with Joss. Then they'll come up with a treatment plan for her."

He sighed.

"I hope so…she's still in some state of catatonia and given that Carly still hasn't shown up…it's left me with the decisions to make…"

She saw the conflict on his face At least Joss had one parent in her corner. As for Carly she should have been sterilized long ago. She wasn't fit to be a mother. She chose the man who shot two of his own children not to mention her, over and over. Alexis wondered if that bullet to her head with his name on it had given her a lobotomy of sorts. But then she had her own problems to worry about now.

"I know you'll do the right thing Jax. With or without Carly…"

Patrick walked up to both of them, looking a bit harried. He'd been dating her daughter Sam so Alexis smiled at him.

"Hi Patrick…good to see you."

He nodded but his face still looked serious.

"I'm not sure you will be glad to see you when you hear my news…It's about Joss. Her initial exams came back and the scans showed she had increased activity to her frontal lobes."

Jax frowned, while Alexis tightened her hold on him.

"What does that mean exactly? Is something seriously wrong with her? Will she need surgery?"

Patrick held up a hand to calm him down.

"Jax…it just means she's undergoing serious emotional turmoil that's stimulating that part of her brain. She will likely need an intense regimen of drugs and psychiatric treatment…we need to address this condition before it progresses."

Alexis saw her favorite ex blanch.

"What do you mean worsens? If you saw her the other day before she was brought here? She was almost…possessed. She thinks she's an ear of corn."

Patrick hedged.

"Not exactly…she thinks she's a disciple of something called "He who walks among the rows" which I don't really understand but…"

Jax interjected.

"It's a line from a movie that her mother let her watch far too many times unsupervised while she sexed up that deranged ex of hers, Franco in the same house…"

Alexis arched a brow at that revelation not that it was any surprise to her. Patrick looked confused for a moment but recovered.

"Look we're trying the best we can to assess her condition and formulate a treatment plan for her. But it's going to take time…and more tests."

Jax sighed.

"All right I understand that. Do your tests. Do whatever it is that will help you find out what's wrong with my daughter and treat her."

Alexis heard the angst in his words and she slid her arm to interlink with his own.

"Come on….I'll take you to the cafeteria and buy you some truly awful food to keep you busy while we wait to hear back from the doctors…okay?"

He nodded and she smiled at Patrick and they left him to head to the elevator.

* * *

><p>Ric left Liz in her blissful state over his plans to renovate her…their house and took a phone call on his cell in the foyer.<p>

"Look I told you not to contact me here," he said, "As far as this town's concerned I'm the new and improved Ric Lansing…wrongly accused and unjustly treated by the legal system and unfairly separated from my…daughter…"

An annoyed voice interrupted him.

"Listen Mr. Lansing. You are not fulfilling your role in the arrangement. We told you what the terms were and what the cost would be…"

Ric sighed dramatically.

"Listen…I'm on the same page as you…really…I want to do what I promised but Liz…she's so angelic and she was so excited to see me alive again and I'm formulating adoption proceedings for Cameron and…"

The voice cut him off again.

"We don't care about your twisted Harlequin style romance with this flaky twit. All we care about is that you do as you promised. Since you've been dragging your feet…we took measures. Unfortunate measures but ones that were necessary…you do understand."

Ric's slick snake oil salesman smile dropped off his face.

"You mean…no you didn't…"

"Oh we did…we will call you later with the terms of our new arrangement. So stay close to your phone…"

Ric groaned.

"My ex-wife…she will kill me…"

"That's your problem…one of several. As instructed you'd better stay close to your phone Mr. Lansing…"

Ric heard the phone on the other end being clicked dismissively. Ice cold fear filled him for the first time.. He heard Liz bustling in the kitchen preparing him a home cooked meal like a dutiful future wife…but he barely heard her.

He knew that through no fault of his own of course there was going to be hell to pay.


	11. Chapter 11

Carly finally showed up at GH like a whirlwind coming in before a door closed on it. Of course this force of unholy nature had a narcissist streak attached and she put it on full display.

She eyed Alexis standing next to Jax and frowned.

"Alexis you can leave now. This matter about Jax and my daughter really doesn't concern you."

Alexis folded her arms.

"Carly where were you? Oh right visiting Sonny in his prison cell. Nice to see you finally show up for your kid."

The other woman shrugged.

"Someone has to be there for Sonny. He's very traumatized by what he's going through in prison and I'm the only person who's there for him."

Alexis sighed.

"But your daughter needs you too…and I'm here as Jax's friend not that it's any of your business."

Carly glanced at the both of them.

"Where's Joss? I want to see her."

Jax sighed.

"She's in a room under observation. She's been catatonic since last night…."

Carly grabbed onto him like a lifeline.

"Oh my god…what could have happened to her? When I left her, she was watching that silly movie that she likes so much."

"She's become obsessed with that movie Carly? How could you let her spend hours watching it over and over and not notice her fixation?"

Carly pulled away from him, getting defensive.

"I was…busy with everything that was going on with Sonny…Michael…Franco…Morgan…Sonny, the MC, my mom, Sonny…"

Jax put his hand up.

"I get it. Now that you're here We'll wait together for the doctor's update…"

Alexis watched the two of them. She thought Carly needed even more time on Kevin's couch than Joss might. She smiled at Jax.

"I have to go to court but I'll check by later…."

Jax hugged her while Carly threw her a snarly look. Alexis started walking away and ran into Anna.

The commissioner was all business.

"Alexis I need to talk to you about something…"

"What?"

"Julian…"

* * *

><p>Sam bumped into Julian as he exited the bank. He looked at her dressed in her favorite uniform of black jeans and a long sleeve turtleneck. She smiled at him.<p>

"Hi Julian…nice to see you…"

He smiled back at her, delighted as always to see his daughter.

"Good to see you….I hope everything is going well…"

She nodded.

"Danny's spending time with his Uncle Lucas…learning the finer points of punting…He's really good with him."

Julian smiled again.

"I'm happy everything's going well for my children. Lucas is applying for a residency at GH."

"I know he told me. He'll make a great doctor and his father…Tony was a great influence…"

Julian sighed.

"I know he did a great job raising Lucas. I wish I could have met him…Lucas is a fine young man."

The wistfulness he felt betrayed itself in his voice slightly. Lucas was a much better man already than Julian could ever be. Sam just looked down at her hands then back up at him.

"Yeah he is…he's really taken it upon himself to be the uncle to Danny that his namesake could never be…"

Julian didn't know how to respond to that. He knew that Sam still missed her deceased brother very much. Sam tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

"Well I'd better be going. I'm supposed to pick up Molly. It's sisters' night and I've got to do some more errands…good to see you…"

She hugged him awkwardly and then he watched her go. He walked back down the tree lined sidewalk back to the gallery.

* * *

><p>Ned sat at Kelly's after getting off the phone with Olivia who was at the Q house. She'd been upset about something at the MC and Alice had baked her a quiche. muttering about something Julian had done or not done. He'd ordered a streak sandwich with a side of wedge fries with ranch dressing after getting off the phone with her. Lord knew he cared a lot about her. But he still smarted from Alexis dumping him not long after the NYE fiasco.<p>

She'd just told him she didn't love him and didn't want to pretend anymore. It's not like she ran back to Julian. She'd buried herself in her legal cases no doubt and there'd been last night at the Floating Rib.

Damn Alexis she didn't know a good thing when she had it. He was the man for her and just when he'd gotten close enough to feel that this time it'd work out between them, she'd bolted in a much different way than that wedding day nearly two decades ago. She hadn't jumped onto a semi but she might as well had done so.

The redux of their relationship, an epic fail and his difficulty accepting it made it clear to him he was much more old style Quartermaine than he'd ever admit. He hated losing…at least this time Alexis leaving him hadn't hit the front pages of the paper not even with her ex, Julian in charge.

Thank goodness for small blessings.

The door opened and in walked Maxie and Nathan holding hands. Now there was a couple clearly in love. He'd read about their exploits in the newspaper in exposing the wrongdoings of the Crichton Clinic. That photo of them kissing on top of corpses had earned over a zillion likes.

Then in walked Ric and Liz alongside him. They looked cozy enough, with Liz looking up at Ric smiling at something he'd said.

"Ned do you want to order?"

He looked up to see Shawn looking down at him. He blinked his eyes.

"Okay I'll order a chocolate malt to go with my order…"

Shawn jotted it down in his notepad.

"Anything else?"

Ned paused, feeling really grumpy right now.

"No…nothing that you can prepare for me…"

Shawn shrugged his shoulders and then headed back to the kitchen. Ned watched him go, hating so much that he wasn't in control of the destiny he'd designed for himself. He got up to head to the john and then bumped into Ric who turned around to glare at him.

"Hey, watch where you're going…"

Ned put up his hands in surrender.

"Sorry just got a lot on my mind…"

Ric huffed.

"Well I'm busy taking my love out to the celebratory meal now that I'm PC's heroic figure of the year. Yes it's true, Mayor Scorpio just gave me the news."

Ned reared back not believing it.

"Really…"

"Yes really…I was unjustly prosecuted for a crime I didn't commit, forced into hiding where I suffered incessively and then I freed myself…"

"I thought Shawn and Foxy Brown liberated you."

Ric shrugged.

"They just helped. I can take care of myself. I had to fight to return to Liz…and my daughter of course."

"Of course…"

Ric's phone buzzed. He looked over at Ned.

"I got to take this call…"

He walked away and clicked on his phone.

"Yes I'm here…yes I realize the terms…look I've been too busy…but I'll get it done…"

Julian entered the art gallery and found Carlos waiting there. His associate looked at him expectantly.

"Boss I did what you asked me too. I checked the shipment and it's all in order."

* * *

><p>Julian nodded in approval expecting no less from him.<p>

"Okay so now that's taken care of we need to find out about tomorrow's shipment…"

Carlos shook his head.

"Not me boss. I'm cutting out of here soon. I've got a hot date and I've got to get ready."

Julian sighed.

"We've got tons of work to do tonight finalizing tomorrow's shipment."

Carlos shrugged.

"You can do it. I've got a dinner date with the very fine Alexis Davis at the new Cuban joint."

Julian frowned.

"You can't be serious. You're still going out with Alexis? She's not interested in a guy like you. She abhors mobsters."

Carlos smirked.

"We hit it off real good last night. She's foxy, damn sexy and she can hold her tequila much better than even my Sabrina…"

Julian fumed, not liking this development at all. Alexis with Carlos? Just craziness…what could she see in a guy like him? Carlos must be trying to take advantage of her. Carlos read his mind.

"Boss, she's the daughter of one of the most formidable of Cassadines. She knows what she wants and what she's getting herself into…so layoff with the criticisms."

Julian glowered.

"You are entirely wrong for her."

"So are you boss…by her own words and she and I had fun last night. We hit it off so we're going out tonight to that Cuban eatery that just opened."

Julian didn't like the sound of that. He didn't like the look on Carlos' face either.

"You can't be serious."

Carlos looked unflappable.

"I am…hey she's a great woman and I'm a free agent since…me and Sabrina…it'd never work since she's locked up in a padded cell now."

Julian didn't like what he was hearing at all.

"Carlos…"

"Hey boss it's just dinner. This new Cuban hole in the wall just opened up and we both want to check out the cuisine. Besides from the way I heard it, you gave her a list of all the reasons Pasta Mama was better than her so the way I see it you forfeit any veto power."

Julian sighed.

"Did she say that?"

"No…but I know how you operate. I know that this woman's thrown you for a loop, broken all your rules and since she's not ride and die, you punished her."

Julian shook his head.

"She decided to stick with Ned."

"She broke up with him," Carlos said, "She's focusing on rebuilding her law business since she lost her biggest client Sonny when she stuck by you."

"But…"

Carlos interrupted his boss.

"You had your chance. Let the rest of the men in PC have a go at it...I'm sure they're lining up for a foxy woman like that…Go home to your pasta mama while she's knitting booties."

* * *

><p>Alexis smiled at Anna though she felt annoyed. The commissioner had always disapproved of her association with Julian but since they weren't together anymore…it shouldn't be an issue. Yet here she was wanting to talk to her.<p>

"Yes Anna. What do you want to talk about?"

The commissioner pressed her lips in a firm line.

""It's about Julian…"

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"It's always about him. What part of the fact that I'm no longer with him do you not understand?"

Anna shook her head.

"I know you broke up but there are charges pending against him. He's out on bail and during that time he was implicated in Ric Lansing's kidnapping along with other felonies."

Alexis shrugged.

"Like I said what does that have to do with me? I'm not with him anymore. You have any issues with him, any questions about his actions, take it to him or his attorney. Not to me."

Anna shrank back slightly.

"You're serious aren't you?"

Alexis stared straight back at her.

'Damn straight. I told you. I'm not representing him, I'm not involved with him and I'd rather not hear about anything criminal pertaining to him."

Anna nodded.

"Okay but there is some additional information that I just received that might lead to some more rather serious charges against him…"

Alexis frowned.

"Really? What kind of charges?"

Anna paused.

"Some new serious charges on top of attempted murder and kidnapping charges involving Ric Lansing."

Alexis felt impatient despite herself.

"What kind of charges?"

Anna shook her head slightly.

"I can't tell you now. Let's just say you made the right decision to extricate yourself from his life."

Alexis folded her arms.

"Look I'm sorry that Julian's facing more charges but as I told you, I'm not even legally representing him or his interests."

Anna pressed her lips together. She just looked more uptight than she usually did….like something was missing from her life.

"Well I'm sure if he can't afford to retain an attorney one will be appointed for him," she said, "He's going to need a really good one."

Alexis narrowed her eyes.

"Why do you care? You've always hated him. I don't blame you for that but why are you telling me this?"

"I don't know really…oh and we've been working on a lead from a WSB agent who's been running a tail on someone and then lost them somewhere outside of town."

"What lead?"

"Helena Cassadine. She's been pretty out and about lately…meeting with all kinds of sordid characters."

Alexis could only imagine. Helena's crowd had always included the nefarious types of people. The only people who really tolerated her actually.

"I haven't seen her if that's what you're wondering but she's not interested in me. She's interested in random people like Robin…Dr. O…maybe Nikolas on occasion…"

Anna sighed.

"I know she's up to something…so if she does approach you at all, will you contact me immediately?"

Alexis nodded.

"Sure but it's not likely to happen. Like I said, I'm not at the top of her list of people to bump into lately. You might want to try others like Nina Clay, Kiki Jerome or perhaps the artist only known as Franco."

"Okay duly noted. I've got some of my best detectives working with the WSB on the matter. Hopefully we can apprehend her before she brings more trouble to our town."

"You'll have to catch her doing something…"

Anna's face hardened slightly.

"Oh we will…she's not going to get away with anything. There's still the matter of the missing embryo that her son created with…um…contributions by himself and Lulu Falconari. It hasn't surfaced yet."

Alexis sighed.

"If it actually exists, my guess is that Helena's picking her surrogate as we speak or that's been done already."

"Perhaps…well again we're on it and do contact me if she approaches you…"

Alexis watched Anna walk towards the elevator. Not entirely surprised by the news that once again her evil step monster was running about loose but she doubted that she'd see her.

She left the hospital to go home and get ready for her date…her dinner with Carlos.


	12. Chapter 12

Thanks for the reviews and comments! As to do I love the characters, yes I do! Someone asked a question as to why they're written in a "teen novel"fashion. I have the same question after watching some of the episodes in the past several months. I don't look at the Julian/Alexis/Ned/Olivia dating story and see anything remotely adult about it. Alas, the much, much better "adult" story is still buried underneath this quad story line. That hidden story within a story is what I think would be much better and more compelling to watch on screen. Thanks! That slowly is what will be showing up here.

* * *

><p>Alexis hit the shower when she got home after her errands. She was eager to get ready for her date with Carlos. Not that she considered it a date…more like a dinner between two people who'd hit it off at the Floating Rib the previous night. But she'd had a lot of fun with the guy. They were both trying to rebound from heartbreak and he'd made her smile and laugh.<p>

Still she decided a casual look was in order. Black jeans and a black top and leather jacket, as she looked in the mirror she knew her eldest daughter would approve.

Jax was still at the hospital with Carly. He'd texted her and said he'd settled at the suite in the MC but he wanted to await some additional tests results on Joss's neurological status. She hadn't emerged from her catatonia. Alexis hurt for him, knowing how much he adored his daughter. She'd spent so many hours, days in GH herself standing vigil over her own daughters.

She'd texted Molly but her youngest still hadn't responded back, obviously unhappy with her still. Although it upset her, she knew she had to give Molly more time and space. Sam would be spending the evening with her and would give her some sort of update on how she was faring.

Ric of course would be out with Liz. Molly might be living under the same roof with him but she barely spent any time with him. Skype Daddy obviously wasn't warming too much to fathering outside of computer technology.

Kristina had called and left her a message that she'd be doing the semester abroad at Cambridge. Alexis knew her middle daughter was really excited by the good news of her acceptance in the program.

She reached for her purse and headed out the door off to meet up with Carlos at the new restaurant.

* * *

><p>Julian walked into Kelly's and saw Ric there with his girlfriend Liz and her son Cameron He like most people in town was confused by the picture because he'd thought Liz had two sons. Cameron and he didn't recall the name of the other one. But only one of them was ever seen with her.<p>

They looked like they were lovely dovey but Ric always had that calculated look on his face. Julian never trusted him. He knew he wasn't the sainted man who redeemed himself while away from town. He might have been the innocent patsy thanks to Julian who had fingered him as his boss nearly a year ago. Ric played that up whenever he could with everyone and word had it, he'd be receiving some award for heroism.

Julian rolled his eyes. Ric was no more a hero than Jack the Ripper. He walked towards the counter and Ric looked up at him. Liz shrank away leaning closer to Ric who just smirked.

"So if it isn't the mob kingpin Julian Jerome…"

"Ric…"

The other man shook his head.

"My poor daughter has suffered for months because of you and god knows the harrowing experience I had in Witness Protection…"

Julian listened to him once again making it sound if he'd been in a dungeon in the bowels of some castle. He held up his hand.

"Ric…like I said I'm sorry what happened to you…."

Liz snorted.

"Really…to put a man like Ric threw all that pain and suffering not to mention Molly."

Julian sighed He felt awful about what he'd done and its impact on her but he'd had no choice at the time. His family would be dead and Molly would be visiting her mother and oldest sister in a cemetery.

"Like I said I'm sorry…so Ric how's Johnny doing?"

The man blinked.

"Johnny? I don't know. Why would I know? It's not as if we're still close."

"You were once, working together. Didn't you get him acquitted of some very serious charges?"

Ric paused.

"That was years ago…before I became the better person I am today. I haven't spoken to him in years…"

Julian doubted that.

"You sure about that? I read the archives of my newspaper and the record's very clear. You did help get him off."

Ric shrugged.

"I was a bad guy back then…everyone was beating me down…Alexis was keeping me from my daughter…I was vulnerable to…negative influences…"

Julian sighed at his excuses. He'd made his own share of them when it'd come to what led to his breakup with Alexis and he'd been thinking a lot of every decision he'd made, ever action he'd taken since that fateful day in WPP several decades ago.

"Whatever…look what you're doing is your business unless it impacts my family…"

Ric scoffed.

"You really think I'm anything but what I've made it clear that I am? After all you were working with Johnny to use me as leverage against my brother."

"I know. But how did Johnny spring you out of WPP so easily? I've been in the program myself and I know that's no easy task…unless there's someone on the inside…"

Ric shook his head.

"It happened. I was the victim of a violent mobster. I am very lucky to be alive and a free man today. My girlfriend…and my daughter are my focus now."

Julian didn't think Ric seemed sincere but after all he had no proof. He just knew he didn't trust the guy.

He just walked away from him to the counter to take his order.

* * *

><p>Helena tugged her fur coat closer around her standing on the docks waiting for her next ride. The yacht that would pull up to the dock, the one she'd get on board to sail to her newly purchased island.<p>

A nice sized island with an estate, including a grand house with a nice wrap around veranda surrounded by groves of fruit trees. A perfect hideaway, all it needed was a nursery for her latest project not to mention a room for the little brat waiting for her in the limousine.

She looked around into the darkness over the blackened waters, sparkling lights bobbing up and down in the distance. She knew that her partners were busy carrying out finer points of her mission and would meet her back here so they could sail off.

Another successful visit to an old haunt. She could slip into town, do what needed to be done and then slip back into the night. No one any the wiser.

Ric Lansing didn't care a whit about a child of his own blood and otherwise, Molly was merely the latest fruit of a poisoned branch created by Mikkos and his silenced mistress. He preferred spending his time chasing tail, in this case the insipid nurse Liz who had tired of being around Nikolas and had hooked herself an older if sociopathic lawyer.

She doubted he'd notice his daughter was even missing…certainly not considering the note left behind. That'd buy Helena more than just a little time. She knew that Natasha was estranged from her youngest spawn so it might take her a while to notice anything was wrong.

Her phone buzzed and she picked it up. Her eyes widened. It was _him_ on the phone and she knew she had to answer.

"I've been expecting your call. I've completed my part of the plan and so what do you have to report on your end?"

"Helena, I've only just started on my end. It's going to take some time, a few days at least but I'll accomplish our goal."

She sighed.

"It's not going to be easy. You busy here while I get on the yacht and head towards our new headquarters. You picked out a lovely spot."

He chuckled.

"Only the best for you….I knew you'd like it."

"Oh I do…it reminds me of where I grew up. It's beautiful, it's secluded and I've shipped all my favorite furniture from Cassadine Island there. It'll be like home."

"I trust then you'll carry out your role in the next stage…"

"I've got one of my projects waiting in the car and the other…is nesting so to speak in just the right environment for just the right time."

"That's good…so you'll head to the island and I'll stay here and advance on this other front…this is going to work out quite well for both of us."

She chuckled.

"I should hope so. I've been planning this for months. It's all for the best…."

He agreed and she clicked off her phone, smiling at it as she put it in her purse. Everything was truly going according to plan.

She looked forward to checking out her new digs on the island and putting the next stage of her plan into motion.

* * *

><p>Alexis reached the Cuban restaurant and after parking her car walked inside of it. It was a bit swanky but a festive brand of music wafted through the room. Tables elegantly adorned awaited and several couples were eating happily enough while waiters served them more alcohol.<p>

She looked and saw Carlos dressed in jeans and a a black turtleneck. Damn he did look fine having trimmed his beard. He smiled when he saw her and walked towards her.

"You look so damn fine Alexis…I got us a table in the back where it's more private."

She smiled at him.

"Take me there…and I wouldn't mind some of the house cocktails…"

He nodded.

"Mojitos here are supposed to be great or so I've heard."

"Okay that'll be great to start with…let's get started…"

She was determined to have a good time tonight even though she didn't know where it would lead. They reached a booth where the table had a nice cloth on it and was prepared for them.

Candle lit in the center of the table. A beverage menu which Alexis picked up even though she knew what she was ordering.

But she could start off with a strong mojito. A waitress in festive attire came by and Carlos ordered for the both of them.

She sat back in her seat looking across at him.

"So is this place as really good as its reputation?"

He nodded.

"Been here once…I might be Puerto Rican but my grandmamma was Cuban. The Plátanos Maduros,here are delicious…"

"Okay…I might want to try that…"

He beamed.

"You won't be disappointed I promise…in the Platanos or other things…"

She heard his words and almost believed him.

* * *

><p>Sam walked out of the elevator of the MC and headed to the suite that Ric had decided to call home for himself and apparently Molly as well. She'd been puzzled because all her texts to Molly had gone unanswered.<p>

Maybe her younger sister had been too busy to respond back. She'd been busy prepping for the SATS after all.

She entered into the hallway that led to the suite and then noticed that the door to Ric's suite was ajar. Her skin prickled as her intuition went on overload. This didn't look right to her so she put her hand over the jacket that concealed her gun holster as she cautiously pushed the door open.

All that awaited her was an empty living area. She noticed the couches, the chairs and the coffee table with a piece of paper lying on it.

It looked like a note. Maybe Molly had gone out and left a message…

She walked inside the suite further, her eyes focused on the table and the note. So she didn't see the large figure approach behind her. He pulled out something and smashed it against the back of her head.

Darkness surrounded her and she lost sight of everything as she sunk to the floor with a thud.


	13. Chapter 13

Alexis really enjoyed the cuisine at the new eatery almost as much as the company. Carlos was proving to be an excellent date. She had no pretenses that she'd ever develop any feelings for him that'd come back and bite her. She'd have her fun with him without any real consequences attached.

Not like with Julian. She really loved him…but his business and life choices had exacted so much from her.

Her house on the lake. Everything she owned except for one business suit she didn't like and her Prius. Her relationship with her youngest daughter who despised her latest choice in men…while waxing on about her dreamboat of a daddy…who also lectured Alexis about her choice in men.

Julian cruised through life. He kept conducting his business. He got along great with his own kids who accepted him even as a mobster as long as he didn't involve him in it. He had his own digs now that Ava had moved out and he hadn't experienced the tremendous sense of displacement that she had when she'd watched her home burn to the ground. Yeah, not all her memories of life in the Lake House had been all that great and she didn't mind losing certain items like the infamous orange rug but…she didn't have enough to put in a suit case she didn't have to move her and Molly into shacking up in Sam's penthouse.

At least now she had her new house, newly furnished and thanks to Dianne, a much more fashionable wardrobe than the one that had turned to ashes as a result of the letter bomb dropped in her mailbox.

"I have to say leather's a look that really agrees with you."

She smiled back at Carlos.

"Thank you…My daughter Sam helped me pick this out at the new boutique on the waterfront. Maxie and Lulu have really turned a profit with their new business."

Carlos stabbed his plantain dish, for another bite.

"Since Johnny is now running the Haunted Star," he said, "I guess Lulu took the money she made when he bought her out and went into business with Fashionista."

Alexis sighed, her brow furrowing.

"Yeah I read about that. I never thought Lulu would cash in on that place. It's been in her family for years but there's a lot happening now I don't understand."

"Me too. I get out of prison for a crime I didn't commit to find out that Sabrina…my Sabrina's in the loony bin. It had something to do with Ava…but I still don't know the full story."

Alexis chuckled humorlessly.

"Now that she's taken up with Johnny…I can only imagine she'll add running a casino to her resume…"

Carlos shrugged.

"Ava's ran gambling operations before…mostly online though we did run a bingo palace in Puerto Rica…"

Alexis arched her brows.

"Bingo palace? I can't imagine there'd be much action there…let alone the need for someone of your…expertise."

Carlos smiled, taking another bite of his delicious plantains.

"Yeah well…that was just a cover. Floating craps, roulette, Blackjack, the usual games. The feds finally caught on and busted it a couple years ago. We narrowly skated on that one."

"You paid someone off…"

He nodded.

"Well not exactly…The place got blown up….suddenly boom, just like that it was ashes."

Alexis shook her head.

"Just like my house…"

Carlos leaned across the table, brushing the fingers of one hand over her wrist.

"No…not like that. There were no people inside. We weren't sending a message to anyone just destroying evidence."

She clicked her tongue.

"Careful…you shouldn't be telling this to an officer of the court."

He laughed.

"Yeah but you're an attorney for the mob."

She corrected him.

"Not anymore. I take the cases I want to handle and I really enjoy it. I don't have to look under my Prius for a bomb anymore. I don't have to look around me when I unlock the door to my house and no more bombs in my mailbox…"

"I'm sure Julian felt awful about that."

She nodded.

"I know he did. I saw him react when he realized I hadn't been in my house when it had gone up. That's when I really knew I meant something to him…even though he'd told me he loved me. But everything changed after that."

She sipped her drink slowly relishing the flavor, letting her mind relax.

"Let's talk about something else…besides the past."

He nodded in agreement then his eyes widened. She glanced at him puzzled and then followed his line of vision.

A red headed woman had just walked into the restaurant with an older man. A man with dark hair wearing a suit that seemed snug on his muscular frame. A waiter led them to a table and the man held out the seat for his date who sat down.

Alexis gasped. Carlos narrowed his eyes in response.

"What is it?"

She paused, reaching for a sip of her drink before responding.

"The man she's with. I think I know him…."

* * *

><p>Sam lay in a fetal position on the floor just outside the suite where her youngest sister lived with her less than saintly father Ric.<p>

"Oh my god, Sam…."

Liz moved quickly and knelt behind the still body. She put two fingers against Sam's neck feeling for a pulse in the artery.

Rapid but weak. She moved towards Sam's face and noticed a raised knot just above her forehead. Streaks of blood had dried on her ashen face. Liz reached for her phone to call 911. She'd come to the suite to meet Ric so they could spend a quiet romantic evening alone since Molly was spending the evening out with Sam. But if Sam was lying here…then Molly had to still be in the suite.

Obviously unaware of the fate of her oldest sister. Liz had to get inside the suite and tell her what'd happened. She had a key and slipped it in the door. She threw it open and expected Molly to flash her a greeting in response.

Instead she found the suite clearly empty. The door to Molly's bedroom was open and walking towards it, Liz discovered that Molly wasn't on her bed reading or at her desk.

"What the…"

She hurried back to where Sam lay as paramedics began to arrive. Olivia tailed them wearing her apron that she used when she was whipping up one of her specialties in the hotel kitchen. Behind her wearing a napkin tucked in his shirt collar was Ned who eyed Sam lying on the ground as paramedics tended to her, strapping a blood pressure cuff on one of her arms.

"My god, what has happened here?"

Liz glanced at Ned.

"I don't know. I came here to wait for Ric to return and saw her lying on the floor unconscious with a lump on her head. Someone must have attacked her from behind…for some reason."

Olivia shook her head.

"I knew I should have hired more security but I was busy checking out color samples for painting the nursery…you know when the baby's born."

Liz vaguely remembered hearing on the grape vine that Olivia had been knocked up by one of the town's mobsters during a drunken one night stand on New Year's Eve. She just hadn't remembered which one in a town where besides Sonny, they rotated in and out with the seasons.

Ned patted Olivia's shoulder.

"I know that you did all you could…and I'm sure this was unpreventable. You do know that Sam's father is a notorious mobster…"

Olivia rolled her eyes.

"Of course I know…I knocked boots with him remember? I had that bad cannoli and next thing I knew…and now I'm all knocked up."

She looked like she might weep again so Ned wrapped an arm around her shoulder, taking her aside. Liz just watched the paramedics work on Sam who still remained unconscious.

"So Dr. Early should we start an IV of Lactated Ringers w/ D5W? Okay…ETA at GH, five minutes…10 if there's traffic on the strip."

Liz paced nervously. One of the paramedics looked at her.

"We'll be taking her to GH. It looks like a possible skull fracture and she'll need a CAT scan. Do you know her emergency contacts?"

Liz paused, nodding.

"I can call her mother…she'll want to know."

The paramedic nodded and two firemen brought in a stretcher for Sam. Liz turned to Ned who was still comforting Olivia.

"Oh god what could have happened….who could have attacked her?"

Ned gave her a look of reproach.

"You know about her father don't you?"

Liz tilted her face.

"Yeah but how can we be sure it was him? I mean, I thought Sam was here to meet Molly and I can't find her either."

Olivia shrugged.

"She's probably meeting him at Kelly's for a chocolate soda before they bring it here. You know I gave them…the talk…you know about being responsible and having safer sex."

Liz bit her tongue from mentioning the obvious. She didn't know what to do at this point. She could call Ric and alert him but he'd told her he had an urgent meeting with a client and couldn't be disturbed.

She knew she should phone Alexis but didn't look forward to that. Whenever Sam or any of her other daughters were in danger, Alexis literally became someone else and that person scared the hell out of Liz.

Ric had to be informed about Molly being missing. No business meeting could be so important it would trump the welfare of his own daughter.

* * *

><p>Helena gazed out at the twinkling lights in the harbor from her yacht. Her crew had set a sail and they'd be heading to the posh estate on the new island she had just purchased. She needed a new home base to set up her operations and it had fit the bill.<p>

A hint of chill in the marine breeze made her clutch her fur coat around her more tightly. She heard footsteps on the deck and turned to see Kyle Sloane wearing a trench coat and a frown on his sharply lined face approach her.

"I see you've put your plan into action."

She stroked his face with something akin to affection. The type one might have for a favorite guard dog, one that needed more than the occasional raw steak to satisfy it. Sloane was eye candy, and Helena always liked having that around but he was also hungry for his own brand of justice and so he played easily into her hands.

He'd boot Anna out of her commissioner job soon enough and be Helena's own personal political puppet joining Mayor Lomax and perhaps even DA Scotty Baldwin if she could find the rumored photos that she'd need to blackmail him.

First things first, and that was the man in front of her.

"I have…the first two stages of it. We have a…guest on our yacht who's undergoing…treatment very much needed as she's a very troubled person."

He nodded.

"I saw her. She looked…catatonic."

Helena waved her hand.

"For now…but you should have seen her earlier. You know what it's like when you live in a cocoon most of your life and one day…it's pierced by some unpleasant truths. Well, she didn't take it well and had to be sedated."

Sloane nodded again.

"And the other?"

Helena felt extraordinarily pleased by this personal project of hers.

"Ah yes, my new grandchild, the one who will be born of my eldest son, my heir to the Cassadine fortune and his ice princess…Well I think he could have chosen better but love is blind and obsession even more so."

Sloane pulled his collar uncomfortably.

"But Lulu Falconari isn't bearing her own child. She's modeling a line of beach wear for Maxie Jones' new fashionista label and she's not with child."

Helena laughed, with some amusement. She'd picked Sloane mostly for his looks but underneath the masculinity, the virile essence of such a man lay some semblance of intelligence.

"I am aware of that. Lulu was most…uncooperative and understanding the honor of bearing the Cassadine prince. So I had to pick an alternative…broodmare so to speak. She's been chosen and so far blissfully unaware of it. This woman, a mere peasant really believes she's bearing the spawn of a stallion of lesser bloodlines."

He stuck his hands in the pocket of his trench coat.

"I see…that you have everything all worked out."

Helena smiled, her eyes gleaming.

"I do…and it's all going just perfectly…"

* * *

><p>Julian brooded at the Floating Rib while Lucas ordered them both another round of chicken wings and a pitcher of beer. It was guys' night out for both of them but Julian remained troubled after his meeting with Andreas Anosov. He knew the man was dangerous, he knew what the man wanted and he wasn't about to give it to him.<p>

Lucas had some free time having finished his shift as an intern at GH and his live in boyfriend Brad was staying late to complete paperwork on lab testing for Dr. Olbright. Lucas told Julian he didn't expect to see Brad until morning because the eccentric chief of staff was a harsh taskmaster.

Mac had tended bar and just taken their orders, before disappearing into the kitchen. Julian felt his disapproval knowing that he was tight with Alexis and had no doubt heard about what had happened on NYE.

He didn't want to think about that. Olivia kept him up to date on the progress of her appointments with the doctor and Ned had started butting heads with him over taking advantage of Olivia when she'd been upset about Ted not returning her feelings.

Julian remembered how devastated he'd been when he'd seen Alexis dressed up in some knockout outfit attending the MC party with Ted. He'd started drinking and never stopped. Olivia had been all about forgetting Alexis and damn he hadn't even accomplished that…in his dream something about never letting her go again…but she was gone. She might not be with Ned now but she wasn't with him.

He frowned. Damn if it made any sense but she was dating his enforcer, Carlos instead. The world around him wasn't where it should be…but he didn't know how to set it right again.

"Hey dad, Mac said that he's testing a new sauce on the wings. Recipe's from Australia."

Julian smiled.

"Sounds great….I haven't told you this but I'm so proud that you won that fellowship in pediatrics…"

Lucas nodded, pouring himself a glass of beer from the pitcher.

"I'm going to take it. I really always wanted to work with kids…ever since my sister…you didn't know her but B.J. damn she died way too young…"

Julian shook his head.

"I know…what a tragedy. But her heart saved a life didn't it?"

Lucas sighed deeply then nodded.

"Yeah Maxie got her heart and look at her now. Still a bit immature but underneath it, she's got a great…heart…"

Julian saw the glimpse of wistfulness on his son's face, once again reminded that Lucas had grown up without him in his life. Nothing he could do to change that now, just treasure each moment he got to spend with him.

He could never make up for all the moments…stretched into years he'd missed in the lives of both his adult children. But he could be there for the one that would be born in five months.

Lucas frowned suddenly.

"Jax just got here. I saw him earlier at the hospital. He and my sister are broken up about what's going on with Joss."

Julian eyed Jax as he talked to Mac who was wiping down the bar.

"How's your niece doing?"

Lucas sighed.

"Not so good. Kevin's got a team of some of the best doctors working on it but they can't figure out what's going on with her. She was fine one day and unresponsive the next…"

Julian reached to put a hand on his son's shoulder.

"I'm sure she'll be okay. They'll find what's wrong with her."

Lucas didn't seem so sure.

"Yeah I hope so…Jax flew all the way around the world to be here for her. She's not even aware of it."

Julian watched as Jax approached them smiling at Lucas. Lucas glanced at him.

"Any change with Joss?"

Jax shook his head.

"She's still the same. They're running more blood work and another MRI tomorrow…she won't respond to any stimuli. It's like she's a million miles away."

Lucas shook his head.

"Strange how all of a sudden…"

Jax pulled a chair and sat beside him not waiting for an invitation. He glanced at Julian.

"So how's life treating you? How many illegal shipments did you welcome today?"

Julian wanted to roll his eyes at him but he knew the man was suffering over the fate of his daughter.

"It was a slow day…only artwork mostly for my sister Ava who runs a gallery in town."

Jax nodded.

"I know…Alexis told me some time ago…"

Julian gulped down his beer and poured another glass.

"Yeah I'm sure she did. I'm sure she told you a lot of things. I don't care because I know the two of you are close and she needs that right now."

Jax narrowed his eyes.

"So I see you suddenly care about what she needs? You do know she's out having dinner with your enforcer. The two seemed to have hit it off."

Julian sighed.

"I do know…and I don't approve but that's her choice and his choice…"

Jax snorted.

"You don't approve…It's not your place."

"I know that…but I still don't like it."

Jax shook her head.

"Neither do I but that's because I'm her friend not because I believe I have some territorial claim over her."

Julian frowned.

"It's not like that. It's complicated…"

Jax sighed.

"I'm sure it is but I don't want to see her getting hurt."

Lucas chimed in.

"My dad's not going to hurt her. I know you're upset about what's going on with Joss but this has nothing to do with that."

Jax nodded.

"I know…and I'm not here to disrupt your dinner. I just don't want to see her get hurt because she's been hurt enough."

Julian sipped his beer.

"I didn't mean to hurt her. She broke up with me first. After that she had no say in the decisions I made in my life."

Jax pursed his lips.

"I realize that…and considering what you've done with your life, she's probably better off."

Julian sighed.

"What do you mean by that?"

Jax's lips curved into a smile but his eyes didn't match it.

"You know what I mean. Hooking up with a woman who despises you…after getting all juiced up. Hopefully both of you won't take out that animosity on your child."

Julian paused.

"Not that it's any of your business but I'm going to do the right thing by my child. This time around. I missed watching my other children grow up and that's not going to happen this time."

Jax sighed.

"I do know what it's like being separated from my child. I hand her off to her mother for a couple months and look what happened! What was I thinking after she shacked up with the man that stalked Joss when she was a baby."

Lucas shrugged.

"My sister does have her lapses in judgment but she does love Joss. She's distraught by what's happening to her and is trying to find answers."

Jax's eyes flashed.

"She's been sitting in front of the TV watching that damn horror flick for hours when she's not been locking baby sitters up in the attic. You do know that Liz's son Aidan hasn't been seen in months...ever since he won the medal in the spelling bee."

Julian just listened to Jax and glanced up to see Nathan walk through the door. The man's eyes assessed the room and then he reached for his phone before walking to the bar.

Looking like a man on a mission…

* * *

><p>Alexis sighed as she reached for her sangria glass. She found it terribly sweet and it would leave her with a headache in the morning but for now, it buoyed her spirits.<p>

Carlos leaned forward.

"What were you thinking just now?"

She put her glass down looking directly at him.

"About the wedding…the one that didn't happen…"

Carlos nodded.

"Oh yeah, the one between you and that Ashton guy. I saw it in the morgue at the newspaper…"

Alexis grimaced at that memory. She knew the runaway bride fleeing the church and heading towards the highway had been her. But that wasn't it.

"No, I'm talking about Ned's most recent attempt to marry…to claim Olivia's baby as his own child."

Carlos sipped his own drink.

"The one that you stopped when you figured out that Ned was reliving his white knight period when he did the same for you."

She nodded.

"If that wedding had taken place, he'd be her baby's legal father. Not Julian. Fortunately he was able to stop it in time."

Carlos narrowed his eyes.

"I heard Olivia didn't like it."

Alexis shrugged.

"Hey it was for her own good. Last thing she wants to do is have to dress up like a male butler just to see his own kid like I had to do. Everything in this town is just so wash, rinse, repeat…"

Carlos shook his head.

"It doesn't have to be that way."

Alexis sighed.

"At any rate, at least Julian knows about his baby and can claim it," she said, "I learned the hard way to hide my children from their baby daddies."

Carlos finished off his sangria and poured a fresh glass. The night was still young after all. He glanced over at the man sitting next to the redhead at a nearby table.

"So you think you know what guy?"

She followed his gaze, frowning.

"He looks familiar but for the like of me, I don't remember from where…Something…"

"Ex hookup?"

Alexis felt taken aback.

"No…nothing like that. I don't where I saw him before but I know I did…it's probably nothing."

Carlos nodded.

"Probably…so you ready to head on out? Maybe we could take a walk along the harbor, watch the moon rise."

She furrowed her brow.

"We can watch someone get knifed over a couple of bucks or watch someone get dumped off of Pier 54, no thanks. No offense intended but I'm steering clear of the Vida Loca or whatever you call it."

He put his hands up.

"So am I…at least for the evening. I just thought we'd go for a nice stroll and see where this goes…"

Alexis widened her eyes slightly at the innuendo in his voice. Damn he was hot looking tonight and she wasn't tied to anyone.

"Okay…I'll go on a moonlit walk but I'm not promising anything else…We'll see where it goes."

Carlos smiled widely nodding.

"Good enough for me…I'll pay the check…"

She shook her head.

"We'll split…"

He scowled though his eyes betrayed his amusement.

"You don't have to bust balls with me lady," he said, "I'll pay for it this time around."

She agreed, suddenly eager to leave the restaurant and spend more time with him. He helped her forget some of the more chaotic areas of her life. Speaking of which…she took out her phone and then frowned at it. Carlos noticed.

"What is it?"

"Nothing…I texted Sam about Molly a while back because she's giving me the silent treatment and I haven't heard back."

"You want to call her or checkup…"

Alexis shook her head quickly.

"I'm sure the two of them are busy having a good time. I'll see Sam tomorrow anyway."

They headed outside after paying the check, and noticed that there was quite a bit of traffic on the strip leading to the marina.

What they didn't notice was the man walking behind them.


	14. Chapter 14

Alexis enjoyed walking along the waterfront with Carlos more than she'd admit. It wasn't just being with him, it was being able to relax and feel like herself again. It'd been too long since that'd happened what with all the fallout over the drama surrounding Olivia's pregnancy.

That had ultimately been about her…and her latest baby daddy Julian rather than Alexis or even Ned…though Ned still had tried to play the white knight in shining armor with the latest damsel in distress just like he'd done with her two decades earlier.

Alexis had recognized what Ned was trying to do when he claimed to be the father of Olivia's baby but history had taught her all she had needed to know.

Ned was lying about the many times that he and Olivia had knocked boots while he'd been in a relationship of sorts with Alexis. When she'd got wind of the impromptu wedding at the PC Hall of Records, she'd alerted Julian and he'd put a stop to it. If Ned had been successful, state law would have designated him the sire of Olivia's baby regardless of blood ties.

She couldn't let that happen even though she knew her relationship with Julian wouldn't ever be the same. God, how many times had she thrown away her own happiness to do the right thing? She'd lost count of how many times but still she had done what needed to happen and she'd survived.

Her heart had broken but what was that if it meant that Julian would have a chance to raise a child of his from birth? She did know how much that meant to him.

She'd loved him after all. She's just lost him.

"Alexis…you seem like you're a million miles away…"

She blinked her eyes and glanced sideways at her date. Carlos, the enforcer of the man she'd loved so much. He'd been good company, the perfect date. Her mind had just wandered again.

"I'm sorry Carlos. You deserve better. You've been wonderful company. It's just that…"

He interrupted her.

"You miss Julian. I get it. I just don't understand why you two broke up. Just over a baby."

She sighed.

"It wasn't just that. It's…complicated but all I can say is that he needs to have time by himself…away from us to sort out what's happened. He wants to be a father from day one and I get that. I don't want to rob him of that chance."

Carlos smiled.

"I know. But Olivia…she can't give him what you can. He loves you, not here. This baby's not going to change anything."

Alexis heard the fervor in his voice. Carlos thought he understood what motivated his boss but if he'd seen the look on Julian's face when he found out he had the chance to be a father to a newborn rather than an adult child…

"Look Carlos I understand what you're saying but I couldn't stand in the way of Julian's chance to be a parent. I've been where he's at…he needs to experience that."

Carlos shook his head.

"He needs you. You're his oxygen. I know that. You know that. It hasn't changed."

She shook her head.

"Everything's changed but that's fine .I really want him to have this chance…and if Olivia will allow him that. It'll be easier for him if I'm not there."

"Says who? You? My boss is miserable. Yeah he's thrilled about the baby but he's not so happy that you aren't there with him."

Alexis smiled.

"He'll be fine. I feel…guilty that he never had that chance with Sam even though my father never would have allowed it…and Lucas too. He wants so badly to be a father to his children. More than anything, more than me."

They walked down the tree lined street towards the marina, looking out at the twinkling lights of the ships still at sea. She felt comfortable with Carlos, safe even knowing that he wouldn't demand anything of her.

"Carlos I know you mean well but this is what's best. I love Julian but…that means standing aside and giving him this chance…maybe Olivia will give him a chance."

He scowled.

"Damn that woman. She hooked up with Sonny even after he nearly killed her son. But she's making him jump through hoops."

She shrugged.

"I might do the same thing if I were here. I've been her. Anyway why talk about what can't be changed? It's a beautiful night on the waterfront and I've enjoyed our date."

He chuckled.

"Really so if I were to invite you back to my place for a nightcap would you accept?"

She paused.

"I don't know. I can't push away my feelings for him overnight. It'll take time. I tried…really but I know now I can't rush into anything. I'm sorry…"

He leaned into her reassuringly.

"I get it. That's how it is between me and Sabrina even though…well…she's locked up in a padded cell for who knows how long and…I do understand Alexis. I do enjoy spending time with you."

She leaned back, feeling comfort in doing so.

"Me too. I DO like you a lot Carlos I just…I can't forget what I had with him even though it's over now."

He smiled at her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"I get it. I just don't want it to get in the way of our beautiful friendship. Alexis, you are a hell of a good time, I don't want to mess that up…okay?"

She nodded and then frowned as her phone buzzed her. She pulled it out and looked at it.

"It's Liz…I have no idea what it's about…if you can excuse me…"

He smiled and stepped away.

"Of course…"

She stepped away and returned the phone call to Liz who explained to her about what had happened with Sam outside of Ric's suite.

"Damn…I'll be at GH as soon as I can get down there. God, she's okay isn't she?"

Liz seemed unsure.

"The paramedics were able to stabilize her before taking her to GH but she might have a fractured skull…they won't know until they do a CAT Scan…"

Alexis listened somberly.

"I'll be there as soon as I can…"

She clicked off the phone and looked up at Carlos.

"I'm sorry but Sam needs me and I got to go to GH right now…"

He nodded.

"Okay…I'm going to go with you…."

* * *

><p>Julian sat at the table at the Floating Rib with his son Lucas and Jax who was the ex-husband of Alexis and seemed intent on reminding him of that.<p>

"If you mess with Alexis…I will seriously mess with you Mr. Jerome."

Julian put his hand up.

"Look I'm not messing with her. She broke off with me after she told me that Ned had planned to claim my child as his own. I couldn't let him get away with that…as its father."

Jax conceded that point.

"Okay but while you do that, keep my favorite ex-wife out of it okay? She's been through enough."

Julian sighed.

"I've got no desire to make things harder for her. I'm trying to figure out how to be a father to a child that's not born yet."

Jax nodded.

"I know that it's tough. You deal with your child. I'll concern myself with Alexis. She did what was right but it exacted its cost."

Julian winced.

"I know but this doesn't mean I don't love her."

"Maybe…but this isn't about her for you, it's about sorting out your complicated family. You don't need to worry about her. I'll take care of her while I'm here."

"But you have your own daughter to worry about…"

Jax nodded again.

"Yes but I still care about my ex-wife. You best remember that."

Julian knew that the man across from him could prove to be a formidable opponent. He really didn't want it to come to that.

"I understand. But that doesn't change my feelings. I will never stop loving her…"

Their phones both buzzed right then so they tended to them. They both looked at one another. Julian spoke first.

"Oh my god…Sam's in the hospital and they don't know what happened to her."

Jax nodded.

"She was found lying unconscious outside Ric's suite. She's in intensive care undergoing test."

Julian turned to Lucas.

"I have to go to GH to find out what's happened to your sister."

Lucas nodded.

"I'll go with you. I'm an intern there now and I can get more information on what's happened to her."

They all prepared to leave the eatery. All of them forgetting everything else except their concern about Sam.

* * *

><p>Helena stood wrapped up in her mink coat looking out at the ever diminishing lights of the marina. Sloane stood next to her on the deck of her yacht.<p>

"It looks like we're getting further and further away from Pt. Charles. So we can move forward ahead with your agenda?"

Helena nodded at her underling.

"Why yes…I have put my plans in motion. I have my…well my late husband's bastard grandchild here ready to be used for my plans and…the glorious event of my grandchild's birth in five months…It'll be announced at the proper time."

Sloane shook his head.

"You've been busy…and it doesn't seem that anyone will suspect what you've done until it's too late…"

Helena cackled.

"Yes…indeed. I have my sleeper ready to launch and wreak havoc and I can order the invitations to my grandchild's baptism soon enough. Yes, the broodmare is of the lowest form of human life but she'll serve her purpose and the new Cassidine prince will be born."

"You seem confident on that."

Helena gleamed.

"Yes…you see I bode my time and waited until my quarry fell sleep while babysitting her ill-bred grandson. She's not any the wiser. She thinks the local mobster sired her brat."

Sloane grinned.

"But he didn't', did he?"

"Not at all. He's just a cover and since he means something to my husband's bastard seed, that makes it even better .Only the two of us know the truth….That walking stereotype mob apologist for the most common of lifeforms is the vessel which will give me my latest grandchild…"

* * *

><p>Alexis and Carlos arrived at GH and went immediately to the ER where Patrick was unable to give them a progress report on Sam.<p>

"I'm sorry…but she's going to need a full round of testing until we find if she's got a major injury like a skull fracture or a subdural hematoma."

Alexis blanched.

'Oh god…that's serious. I need to see my daughter,. Where is she?"

Patrick shook his head.

"She's getting an MRI and after that more blood work. You'll have to wait here."

Alexis glanced at Carlos.

"Okay…just do whatever you have to do to help her. I need her to be okay."

Patrick nodded.

"I'll do that. You know how deeply I care about her. I'll find out what's going on and I'll bring it back to you."

Alexis tried to breathe. Damn it was hard but she did her best with Patrick.

"Okay just do what you can…please. I want her to be okay."

Patrick nodded again and left with a throng of nurses and other medical personnel. Damn it was tough. Sam hadn't regained consciousness yet which meant it was serious. Alexis had no idea what had happened to her. Only the pieces of information fed to her by Liz…and by Ned who of course blamed it all on Julian.

Julian….Alexis knew she had to call him. Sam was his daughter too and she knew despite everything that he loved her. Where was he? She needed him with her right now but she knew the reality.

She might have to face this one alone. She could do that if she had to…after all she'd raised Kristina and Molly single handedly without their fathers around. If she had the strength…

"When she's back from getting tests done, I'll tell you. We're doing all we can for her…"

Alexis nodded at Patrick knowing it was the truth. After all, Patrick had been dating Sam before this happened. She knew it tore him up too but he had to remain professional despite his own inner feelings.

"Alexis…."

She glanced up suddenly and saw Julian walking towards her. She didn't know how to respond. A part of her was elated that he'd shown up but the rules had changed so she didn't know how to respond.

"Alexis…I came as soon as I heard. How is our daughter? Have you heard any word?"

She recovered quickly because she had to despite everything else. Her daughter came first.

"Julian I'm glad you're here," she said, "Sam's getting an MRI and other tests done. I'm still waiting to hear back."

He nodded, accepting her update.

"Okay then I'll wait with you. I'm not leaving until I know she's okay."

Alexis relaxed slightly at his words despite herself.

"Thank you…I haven't heard anything since she's been brought in and I'm so…."

He wrapped his arms around her almost instinctively before she could finish. She thought about pushing away but instead her body melted against his own. She'd sort it all out later on when the crisis had passed.

"Julian thank you so much for being here…"

He kept her in his embrace.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else. She's our daughter and I love her…I want to find out what happened to her."

She pulled away from him.

"I don't know. I don't know much of anything. I can't think that far until I know she's okay."

He nodded.

"Okay we'll wait her together until we get news…"

That felt strange to her but comforting as well. She nodded back.

"Thank you Julian. Hopefully we'll get some word soon. I want to know what happened to her…I want to know what happened to our daughter…"


End file.
